Abbey Cheek, Grace Baalman Take SEC Weekly Softball Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After a 4-0 week in official games that were played this week by the Kentucky softball program, junior third baseman Abbey Cheek and freshman pitcher Grace Baalman were awarded Southeastern Conference weekly awards by the league office on Tuesday.
 
For the first time in her career, Cheek was named the SEC Player of the Week, hitting over .700 in the four countable games with five runs scored and six RBI. She had three multi-hit games, including three in a row against three different teams to start the week. Cheek also stole a base in three of four games, her third, fourth and fifth stolen bases of the season. She had three extra-base hits this week, including her team-leading eighth home run of the season against No. 8 LSU in Saturday’s series opener.
 
Pitcher Grace Baalman was named the SEC Freshman of the Week after posting two wins in the circle for the Wildcats this past week. She threw a midweek game in which UK won, 15-2, against Indiana. Baalman went the distance, allowing just two runs for her eighth win of the season. She then won her first SEC game by throwing a complete game against No. 8 LSU in Kentucky’s 4-1 win over the Tigers in the first game of the sweep. Baalman did not walk a single batter against LSU on Saturday.
 
Kentucky slingshotted up the polls on Tuesday five spots each, and will enter the seventh week of the season at No. 19/18 in the national rankings.
 
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