Burnside earns 2nd SEC Player of the Week award

FAYETTEVILLE – For the second time this season, Arkansas infielder Braxton Burnside has garnered

SEC Co-player of the Week recognition after posting a .571/.750/1.714 (average/ slugging/on-base plus slugging) slash line and setting the school’s single-season home run record last week.

In game one of the series at No. 25 Auburn, she slugged her 18th homer of the season, a 3-run shot which broke the single-season record in a 6-1 win. The next day, Burnside accounted for all three of the team’s RBI in a 3-0 victory, smacking two doubles and launching a solo home run, her 19th of the season. She did not record an official at-bat in Arkansas’ 2-0 series finale victory as Auburn walked her four times, including three times intentionally. For the week, Burnside totaled four hits, two doubles, two home runs, six RBIS and five walks.

With the help of Burnside, the Razorbacks swept Auburn and have won six straight against the Tigers.

The Paragould, Arkansas, native captured weekly conference honors for the first time since March 16, and like last time, shared the award with Alabama’s Bailey Hemphill. With Burnside’s two awards and infielder Danielle

Gibson’s player of the week recognition on March 23, Arkansas has won the most SEC Player of the Week Awards in a single season in school history.

No. 8 Arkansas (31-3, 12-0 SEC) received its highest ranking in program history this week when the ESPN. com/usa Softball Poll tabbed the Razorbacks to their firstever top-10 spot. The Hogs were the nation’s first team to reach 30 wins this season. Arkansas’ 12-0 start to SEC play is the best in school history and the fifth-best all-time in conference history.