RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – SAU Softball's Marina Duran has been named the Great American Conference's Player of the Week, becoming the third Lady Mulerider this season to claim the honor, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon.

Duran manufactured an electric weekend at the plate for a red-hot Southern Arkansas offense as the junior hit a team-best .643 with nine hits in 14 at-bats.
 
Of those nine hits, Duran collected a pair of doubles and two home runs, while slugging 1.214 and totaling 17 bases. The Chino, California, native tallied a team-best nine RBI and scored seven runs. She also walked twice as she produced a .688 on-base percentage.
 
She manufactured at least two hits in each of her four starts and in the series' second game, Duran collected a career-high four RBI. In game three, Duran recorded a season-high three hits. In the field, the second baseman added five putouts and a pair of assists.
 
The junior ranks in the top ten of eight major offensive categories in the Great American Conference including slugging percentage (.646 | 10^th), on-base percentage (.455 | 8^th), runs scored (19 | T4th), hits (23 | T9th), RBI (20 | 5^th), home runs (5 | 5^th), total bases (42 | T9th), and walks (12 | T4th). A complete look at Duran's statistical output this season is available here: http://static.muleriderathletics.com/custompages/Current Statistics/Softball/plyr_16.htm.
 
Tuesday's honor is the first award for Duran this season. She becomes the third Lady Mulerider this season to earn the league's Player of the Week honor after teammate Jill Roye claimed the award for the week of February 14, while Maddie Dow was given the honor the week of February 21.
 
Southern Arkansas continues Great American Conference play this weekend as they return to Magnolia for the first time since their season-opening invitational in early February. The Lady Muleriders welcome in Southern Nazarene (4-12, 2-6 GAC) for a four-game set beginning Friday, March 10 at 4 p.m. Saturday's doubleheader is slated for high noon.