Kasey Cooper Named SEC Freshman of the Week

[all4AU 379]

http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/031014aaa.html

Congrats to Kasey! And kudos for having softball merged into the baseball forum. Coach Myers really knows how to teach hitting, and it shows! These girls are getting better every week.

COOPER WINS FIRST SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK AWARD

March 10, 2014

AUBURN, Ala. – Freshman infielder Kasey Cooper was named the Southeastern Conference’s softball Freshman Of the Week on Monday.

Cooper, a Dothan, Ala., native, was instrumental over the weekend in helping Auburn win its three-game series over No. 24 LSU with wins on Saturday (6-4) and Sunday (7-0). The series win is Auburn’s first SEC opening series victory since 2011 and first three-game series win over LSU since 2005.

The weekly honor win for Cooper is the first SEC Freshman of the Week for an Auburn player since Jenee Loree won it in 2009.

“Kasey is a freshman,” Auburn head coach Clint Myers said. “She’s trying to figure things out. She is a force to reckon with. She’s got a lot of energy and she’s a great ball player. I can’t imagine what she is going to be like as a junior or senior. We hope that she keeps swinging like she is.”

Cooper went 4-for-10 (.400) over the last three games, batting in five runs and hitting two home runs with two walks. The freshman continues to lead the team in average (.409) and hits (27). She is also tied for the team-lead in home runs (6) and second to conference-leader Branndi Melero in RBI (30).

After going hitless in Auburn’s only loss on the weekend, Cooper came back on Saturday to go 2-for-4, including a three-run home run in the fourth inning that was the difference maker in the 6-4 victory over LSU.

On Sunday, Cooper went 2-for-3 (.667) with one walk and another home run. The two-run home run was the final two runs scored in the 7-0 win.

Cooper is currently two home runs away from the Auburn freshman season record (8), set by Tatiana Fernandez in 2006 and 11 RBI away from that AU freshman season record as well, set by Fernandez in the same season (41).

With the two conference wins, Auburn’s record is now at 19-4-1 overall and 2-1 in SEC play.

Auburn returns to the field on Wednesday when it faces Troy at Jane B. Moore Field at 6 p.m., to start its final week of non-conference play. Wednesday’s game will be the second time the two teams have faced each other this year, the last coming in the season-opener for both teams, which ended in a 5-5 tie after six innings. The game was shortened because of rain and was not able to play out the seventh inning.

Wednesday’s game can be heard locally on WEGL 91.1 or online at AuburnTigers.com. Live video and stats will also be available on AuburnTigers.com.

All home games at Jane B. Moore Field this year will require a purchased ticket unless otherwise specified. All ticket information can be found here on AuburnTigers.com.

For more information on Auburn softball, visit AuburnTigers.com, follow the team on Twitter @AuburnTigersSBor follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/AuburnSB.

[Mikey 16,630]