THE FLATS – Senior third baseman Mallorie Black has been named D1 Softball National Player of the Week this week after hitting five home runs and driving in 11 over four games. Black, who was just awarded ACC player of the week honors as well, went 9 for 18 with five home runs, a double, 11 RBI and seven runs scored. The effort now places her atop the Power 5 with 16 HRs for the year and third in the nation with 52 RBI.
Black becomes the first Yellow Jacket to be named National Player of the Week since All-American and GT Hall of Famer, Jen Yee, in 2010. Her five home runs and 11 RBI were the most in Division I last week.
Black’s week began last Wednesday against Troy, when she launched a home run to left field on the very first pitch she saw. That at bat would set the tone for the weekend as Black spearheaded the offense through three games in Auburn at the War Eagle Challenge. She connected for yet another first inning home run in the first game against Auburn, a solo shot that fueled a three-run first inning for the Jackets.
Her bat stayed hot for the doubleheader on Saturday, beginning with a career high two home run, seven RBI game against Louisiana Tech. Black launched a three-run homer in the sixth inning against Louisiana Tech before coming back in the seventh with a grand slam, her second of the season.
Black followed that performance by hitting her fifth long ball of the week in the Jackets’ 10-9 victory over Auburn in the final game of the weekend, bringing her totals for the week to five home runs and 11 RBI, the most across all of Division I. She has now hit 16 HRs for the year, the fourth most in DI and the most by a Power 5 hitter. Her 52 RBI is the most by a Yellow Jacket since 2013 and her 16 HR rank 8th most in program history with still 12 games remaining on the schedule.
Black joins Madison Dobbins as the first Tech teammates to both hit multiple grand slams in a season since 2011. Black has now hit multiple home runs in three games this season, one of only 12 players in the nation to have done so, including her teammate Dobbins. Georgia Tech is the only Power 5 program in the country to have multiple players with three or ore multi-HR games.
UP NEXT
Black and the Jackets will play four home games this week, beginning on Wednesday at 4 pm against Alabama State. Tech will get back into ACC play this weekend with a three-game series against Louisville (23-16, 4-8 ACC) beginning Friday at 6 p.m. For ticket information, visit ramblinwreck.com
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of the development of Yellow Jackets that thrive academically at the Institute and compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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