The Sports Inquirer

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

For the second time in the first three weeks of the Panthers’ season, true freshman Ivie Drake was named Sun Belt Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

“Ivie has worked hard since her first day on campus,” head coach Roger Kincaid said about his standout freshman. “I am glad to see her hard work rewarded with her second player-of-the-week honor this season. I look forward to watching her continue to progress.”

Drake led GSU to a perfect 4-0 weekend in Clearwater, Fla. at the USF Under Armour Invitational. She continued her hot start to 2015 at the plate by finishing the weekend 8-for-12 at the plate with five runs scored and six RBI. The catcher leads the Sun Belt in batting average (.556) and on-base percentage (.628) and is second to only teammate Callie Alford in slugging percentage (.944). She also eads Georgia State in doubles (6), is second in RBI (17) and is tied for third in home runs (3) and runs scored (14).

She opened the weekend by going 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI in the Panthers’ 16-2 blowout win over FGCU. Later that day she went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a run scored while driving in three in a 6-1 win over Eastern Michigan.

On the final day of the tournament, Drake went a combined 4-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI. She was 2-for-3 with a run scored in a 4-3 win over East Carolina. Drake followed that up with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate with one run scored and one RBI in GSU’s 5-2 win over Villanova.

The 11-2 Panthers are off to their best since 2008 and are winners of eight straight, which is tied for the fourth longest winning streak in school history.