March 2, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky freshman pitcher Chanda Bell has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman Player of the Week announced by the league offices Monday afternoon.

Bell has been a steady force for the Blue and White in the circle leading UK to a great 9-4 start to the season. The first year player from Indianapolis was an integral part to the Wildcats’ 4-0 weekend at the Hatter Classic hosted by Stetson University.

The right-hander went 3-0 for the weekend leading the Wildcats to four wins. Bell pitched 14 innings and gave up only five hits and one unearned run, registering a 0.00 ERA in three appearances. She yielded just three walks and struck out 18 in 14 innings of work. Bell captured her first career shutout in the win over Centenary, and then assisted in the shutout win over Stetson in her one inning of relief in the eighth inning.

Bell has been outstanding to begin the start of her collegiate career. In her third start of the season she tossed a single-game school record 15 strikeouts in a win over UNLV. She’s fanned 10 or more batters in a game on three occasions thus far into the year. She is merely one win away and 10 strikeouts from etching her name into the Kentucky all-time record books just 13 games into the start of her freshman season.

This is the first honor of her career, and it is just the first honor for the Kentucky softball program since the 2007 season. In that year Molly Johnson and Natalie Smith were both named SEC Freshman Players of the Week.

Bell and the Wildcats will open the SEC slate beginning Saturday when they hit the road for the fourth straight week. The Tigers and Wildcats will meet for a doubleheader on Saturday and then a single game on Sunday.

Complete coverage of the UK softball team can be found at UKathletics.com.