March 7, 2011

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Gamecock second baseman Dana Hathorn captured the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week award for March 7 in softball, the conference office announced today.

Hathorn hit .421 on the week and drove in a run in all five contests on the week, posting seven RBI total. The Orlando, Fla., native takes a five-game hitting streak starting during the week into SEC play on Wednesday at Mississippi State. She also continued her stellar play at second, not committing an error in 22 chances. She now stands second on the team with 12 RBI and has not been caught in five stolen base attempts.

Hathorn follows her teammate Julie Sarratt as an honoree by the league this season, as Sarratt took the first SEC Freshman of the Week certificate earlier this season. It’s the seventh time a Gamecock has claimed the award since its inception. Also, this season marks the second time that two Gamecocks garnered the rookie award, matching Ashton Payne and Jacqueline Wetherbee’s awards in 2006.

Tennessee’s Kat Dotson was named the SEC Player of the Week, while LSU’s Brittany Mack took the SEC Pitcher of the Week award.

South Carolina begins SEC play on Wednesday at Mississippi State, with first pitch for the doubleheader set for 4 p.m. CST at the MSU Softball Field.