FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 3-19-02

Sells, Richardson Sweep PBC Weekly Softball Honors

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State senior righthander Annie Sells and sophomore designated player Stacey Richardson were named the Peach Belt Conference's softball Pitcher and Player of the week, respectively, by conference officials on Tuesday afternoon.

Sells picks up the award for the third consecutive week as the senior All-America hurler went 5-0 with an 0.00 ERA and four shutouts on the week, striking out 61 batters in 31 innings for the No. 6-ranked Pirates. A Chattanooga, Tenn., native, Sells hurled her second career perfect game against USC Aiken on March 14, then tied her own school and PBC record with 16 strikeouts against Catawba on March 15. Sells' 9-0 win over UNC Pembroke was her 40^th career shutout and she becomes only the second player to win PBC Pitcher of the Week honors three times in a row - Columbus State's Nathalie Fradette pulled off the feat from March 12-26, 1997.

Richardson earns the honor for the first time in her career after hitting .542 on the week with six doubles, four home runs, 13 RBI and a 1.292 slugging percentage. The Dalton, Ga., native went 4-for-5 with three doubles and three RBI in a doubleheader sweep of USC Aiken on March 14, then went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBI in a doubleheader sweep of UNC Pembroke on March 16. Richardson, who transferred to AASU from the University of Georgia, also cranked two-run home runs against Edinboro and Catawba on the week.

The No. 6-ranked Pirates return to the field on Friday, March 22 as they travel to Kennesaw, Ga., to compete in the 2002 KSU Owl Classic at the Cobb County Softball Complex.

- Pirates -