Elon Softball Duo Takes CAA Weekly Honors

RICHMOND, Va. – Seniors Kiandra Mitchum and Kara Shutt of the Elon University softball team were honored as the Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively, as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 20.

It’s the first weekly honors of the season for the pair with both players playing a huge part in helping the Phoenix go 5-1 last week and win seven of its last eight games. Mitchum took her third career CAA Pitcher of the Week honor after going 3-0 last week with a 1.24 ERA in 17.0 innings. The Mechanicsville, Va., native helped the Phoenix to a 2-1 win over North Carolina last Wednesday, Feb. 14, for its first win over the Tar Heels since 2010. She later helped Elon to a 4-3 victory over Bowling Green on Friday, Feb. 17, striking out a season-best 10 batters in a complete game performance.

Mitchum concluded her week as she tossed the second perfect game in school history versus Mount Saint Mary’s on Sunday, Feb. 18, in Elon’s 8-0 win. The lefty tossed 6.0 innings and struck out five batters against the Mountaineers and joined Abby Barker as the only Elon pitchers to have a perfect game on their record.

Shutt took home her fifth career CAA weekly accolade as the Greensboro, N.C., native batted .579 (11-for-19), scored seven runs, had three doubles and drove in five RBI. She also had a hit in each of the Phoenix’s six games last week including four multi-hit performances. Shutt went 1-for-3 with a RBI, a double and a run scored in Elon’s 2-1 win over North Carolina last Wednesday and drove in a couple of runs while going 2-for-3 against Rhode Island in Elon’s 6-2 win on Friday, Feb. 17. She later went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of runs against North Texas on Sunday, Feb. 18, helping Elon to a 6-1 victory.

Elon is back in action this Wednesday, Feb. 21, with its first road game of the season at NC State. Game time for that contest is scheduled for 4 p.m.