CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Charleston Southern third baseman Lexi Markle has been named the Big South Freshman of the Week for March 7 after a career record-setting week as she helped guide the Buccaneers softball program to a 3-2 record, including a weekend home sweep of a three-game set against Mercer.

BREAKTHROUGH AGAINST THE GAMECOCKS
Markle, a Charlotte, North Carolina, native got the first hit of her young career in the first of two games against South Carolina in a doubleheader Wednesday night in Columbia, South Carolina. The single came in her first of her two at-bats against the SEC's Gamecocks in the contest.

POWERED HER WAY AGAINST THE BEARS
She remained a key cog in the lineup throughout the weekend, starting at the hot corner and helping to put CSU in a position to win each game against Mercer. She went 2-of-3 in the series opener Saturday with both hits being home runs, including a walk-off solo shot in the bottom of the seventh inning. Her first blast came in the third inning, giving the Buccaneers a 2-1 lead at that point before her walk-off to left center capped the 3-2 victory.

She added a second hit in the second game of the doubleheader, a single, among her three plate appearances.

In Sunday's series finale, while she did not register a hit, Markle reached base via a walk and then advanced to second for her first career stolen base.

FINAL NUMBERS
Markle finished the five games with a .308 batting average, .357 on-base percentage and .769 slugging percentage. In the field, she was credited with nine assists, including four in the first game at UofSC, and five put outs.

MAKING HISTORY
She is just the third Charleston Southern softball player to be rewarded with the league's freshman of the week honor, joining Mallory Kasinger (Feb. 13, 2017) and Alyssa Heinrich (Feb. 12, 2018), since the conference started presenting the weekly accolade in 2017. She is the first to garner the recognition under head coach Christi Musser.

UP NEXT
Markle will join the rest of her CSU teammates back on the diamond as they play host Campbell Friday and Saturday for the opening Big South series. The action at the CSU Softball Complex starts with a single game at 5 p.m. Friday before a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and admission is free for all home Bucs softball contests.