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NEW ORLEANS\u00a0\u2013 James Madison junior shortstop Kendra Lewis and Texas State senior right-handed pitcher Emma Strood received the Sun Belt Conference\u2019s weekly softball awards after leading their teams to series sweeps during the season\u2019s fifth week of league competition.
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\nLewis is James Madison\u2019s first Sun Belt Player of the Week since current teammate Cali Legzdin on April 29, 2025, while Strood garners her second Pitcher of the Week accolade this season after being recognized on March 10. Texas State has received the conference\u2019s top weekly pitching honor in five of 10 weeks in 2026.<\/p>\n
Player of the Week
\nKendra Lewis, James Madison
\n[Jr. | SS | Ankeny, Iowa]
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\nLewis went 5-for-7 (.714) at the plate with two home runs, a 1.714 OPS, six RBIs and five runs scored in James Madison\u2019s series sweep over Louisiana. The shortstop started the series going 2-for-3 with a double and a home run and two RBIs in a 6-2 victory over the Ragin\u2019 Cajuns. She added an RBI single in the 10-2 game two victory before going 2-for-2 with a walk, a home run and three RBIs in the Dukes\u2019 15-9 win to complete the sweep.<\/p>\n
Pitcher of the Week
\nEmma Strood, Texas State
\n[Sr. | RHP | League City, Texas]<\/p>\n
Strood spun tossed 17 scoreless innings, including two complete game shutouts and recorded two wins and one save in the Bobcats\u2019 4-0 week with wins over UTSA and a series sweep at Troy. She allowed just nine hits and two walks, struck out 20 batters and did not allow a single extra base hit across her three appearances. The right-hander started the week with a complete-game, three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in a 3-0 home win over UTSA. She nearly replicated her line in game two of the series at Troy with a four-hit shutout with a pair of walks and eight more punchouts. Strood closed the weekend with three more scoreless frames, allowing two hits and striking out four for a save in Texas State\u2019s 2-1 victory over the Trojans on Sunday.
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\n2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Players of the Week
\nWeek 1 \u2013 Chloe Hatcher, DP, Georgia State
\nWeek 2 \u2013 Brie Normandin, SS, Coastal Carolina
\nWeek 3 \u2013 Makaley Boswell, UTIL, Troy
\nWeek 4 \u2013 Kayla Christensen, INF, Georgia Southern
\nWeek 5 \u2013 Taylor Schafer, INF, App State
\nWeek 6 \u2013 Kara Wine, C, South Alabama
\nWeek 7 \u2013 Hannah Christian, OF, Southern Miss
\nWeek 8 \u2013 Kiley Huffman, OF, Troy
\nWeek 9 \u2013 Tia Titi, C\/UT, Marshall
\nWeek 10 \u2013 Kendra Lewis, SS, James Madison
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\n2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Pitchers of the Week
\nWeek 1 \u2013 Ryley Harrison, RHP, South Alabama
\nWeek 2 \u2013 Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
\nWeek 3 \u2013 Bethaney Noble, RHP, Louisiana
\nWeek 4 \u2013 Makayla Stephens, RHP, Georgia State
\nWeek 5 \u2013 Emma Strood, RHP, Texas State
\nWeek 6 \u2013 Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
\nWeek 7 \u2013 Sage Hoover, RHP, Louisiana
\nWeek 8 \u2013 Ryley Harrison, RHP, South Alabama
\nWeek 9 \u2013 Maddy Azua, LHP, Texas State
\nWeek 10 \u2013 Emma Strood, RHP, Texas State
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