March 30, 2009

GREENSBORO, N.C. - North Carolina pitcher Danielle Spaulding and Georgia Tech first baseman Whitney Haller have been tabbed as the Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Pitcher and Player of the Week for the week ending on March 29.

Spaulding, a junior from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., allowed just four hits in 20 innings of work to pace the Tar Heels and tally her fourth ACC Pitcher of the Week honor this season. The North Carolina hurler went 3-0 on the week with wins over Campbell and Boston College. She also started against No. 13 Ohio State but left with the score 0-0 after three innings. She fanned 43 batters in the three appearances including a school record 19 against Campbell. She recorded 19 of the 21 outs in the game and allowed only one hit. Spaulding also helped her own cause by hitting three home runs during the week.

Haller, a senior from Marietta, Ga., led the Yellow Jackets to a series win over No. 19 Florida State to earn Player of the Week honors. The senior went 10-for-21 at the plate (.476) with a double and two home runs in seven games last week. Her grand slam in the first inning of game one put the game out of reach while her two-run single with two-outs in the bottom of the seventh sparked a Tech comeback which forced extra innings. She also scored eight runs and posted seven RBIs last week.

North Carolina entertains East Carolina on Wednesday before visiting NC State next weekend for a three game set. Georgia Tech will visit Boston College next weekend.