Feb. 21, 2011
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Following perhaps one of the best offensive weekends in school history, junior Brittany Cervantes has been honored by the Southeastern Conference as the Player of the Week, announced Monday afternoon. This marks the second such honor of the junior’s career after also earning SEC Player of the Week accolades to begin the 2010 season.
Cervantes helped Kentucky to its best start in school history with an 8-2 record through 10 games of action following a 4-1 weekend at the Garnet and Gold Tournament hosted by Florida State. Cervantes put on an offensive show in leading UK to the tournament crown where she batted with a blistering .625 average on a 10-for-16 weekend while also reaching base four more times by way of a walk.
She ripped three home runs and a double while driving in seven runs. Additionally, she swiped her first three bases of the season. She had a 1.250 slugging percentage and a .700 on-base clip to add to her onslaught.
Cervantes matched a career best with two home runs in the win over Georgia Southern on Saturday, and then opened the FSU game on Sunday with a long ball for a UK-record three consecutive homers in as many at-bats. Between the two games, Cervantes reached base seven straight times including six consecutive by way of a hit. Her four hits in the tournament-clinching win over Florida State is a career-best.
With a hit in every game this weekend, Cervantes charted a career-high six-game hitting streak. She tapped home three times in the win over Middle Tennessee State which is a career-high. Furthermore, she totaled three games with multi-hit performances and charted a pair of games with multi-RBI.
The Chatsworth, Calif., made history with the three consecutive long balls in as many at-bats. Prior to that feat she matched her own personal record, and one that has been achieved 14 times in school history, with two homers in one outing in the run-rule victory over Georgia Southern.
With Kentucky leading 6-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Cervantes saved one of her best at-bats of her career to lift UK to a six-run edge to down Florida State. The right-handed hitter battled through a full-count and a 12-pitch at-bat to find a gap up the middle and plate UK’s final insurance run. It was the third RBI of the day for the junior marking the second consecutive game she totaled three or more RBI in a single outing.
This marks the ninth time a UK player has earned SEC Player of the Week honors in school history. Cervantes becomes just the second player in school history to earn the distinction multiple times in a career along with Lyndsey Angus.
Kentucky will resume action in Stanford, Calif., for five games beginning Feb. 25. UK will take on Memphis and Colorado State to open the tournament Friday. First pitch with the Tigers is set for Noon ET and 10 a.m. PT.
Complete coverage of the Wildcat softball team all season long can be found at UKathletics.com.
