By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – With the first week of the softball season in the books, the Tennessee Tech softball team claimed one of the first honors of the season as Addison Abell was named one of two winners of the Ohio Valley Conference's Pitcher of the Week award on Monday.

Abell, a junior hailing from nearby Sparta, had a solid showing in her first three appearances in the Purple and Gold, posting a 0.64 earned run average across 11 innings of work as she collected a win and a save at the Furman Paladin Invitational this weekend in Greenville, S.C.

In her Golden Eagle debut against Stonehill, Abell came on in relief, throwing five scoreless frames with one walk and four strikeouts. She made her first Tech start on Saturday against South Carolina State, earning the victory in her five-inning outing as she allowed one run on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

During Sunday's finale vs. Evansville, Abell came in to close the contest and held the Purple Aces scoreless in extra innings as she yielded one hit with a strikeout to get her first save of the campaign.

For the week, the Union transfer allowed one earned run on 11 hits, walking three and striking out 10 as opponents hit .256 against her.

She split the weekly honor with UT Martin's Ashtyn Green, who went 2-0 at the Furman tournament with a 1.33 ERA as she walked one and struck out 11.

SIUE's Lauren Yslava was named the conference's Player of the Week as the outfielder batted .471 with two home runs and three doubles, driving in three and coming home to score nine times.

The Golden Eagles return to action Friday as they head down to Columbus, Ga., to compete in the Army Tournament, facing off against Army and Syracuse on Friday and Saturday before taking on Long Island on Sunday.