Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Malau’ulu, Cook Garner SEC Honors
May 11, 2021 | Softball
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's Chloe Malau'ulu and Paige Cook were recognized by the SEC's coaches on Tuesday when the league's awards were announced. Malau'ulu was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team as a right fielder, while Cook landed on the All-SEC Newcomer Team.
Cook was one of 14 student-athletes selected to the Newcomer Team, created this spring to recognize those players who were freshmen in the cancelled 2020 season. The Cornelia, Georgia, native became MSU's everyday second baseman and started every game after getting just six at-bats a year ago. She batted .268 (42-for-157), which was good for fifth on the team. She was also among State's top five in slugging percentage (.389), on-base percentage (.350), hits, runs (27) and total bases (61).
The sophomore infielder was one of five Bulldogs with 10 or more multi-hit games, collecting a pair of hits in 10 games and three hits once. She scored or drove in the winning run in seven games.
Malau'ulu commanded State's outfield this season, playing every position, sometimes spending an inning at all three spots in a single game. She cut down four runners at the plate and threw one out at third. Two of her five assists came in both left and right field, and she turned a double play in center field, throwing out a runner trying to score on a sacrifice fly.
Her five outfield assists are tied for fifth in school history and are the most in a season since Brittany Gates threw out six runners in 2011. The Long Beach, California, native is the second Bulldog outfielder to earn All-Defensive Team recognition, joining center fielder Amanda Ivy in 2017.
The Bulldogs will play Ole Miss in their first game of the SEC Tournament at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday, May 12 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The game will air on SEC Network.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Cook was one of 14 student-athletes selected to the Newcomer Team, created this spring to recognize those players who were freshmen in the cancelled 2020 season. The Cornelia, Georgia, native became MSU's everyday second baseman and started every game after getting just six at-bats a year ago. She batted .268 (42-for-157), which was good for fifth on the team. She was also among State's top five in slugging percentage (.389), on-base percentage (.350), hits, runs (27) and total bases (61).
The sophomore infielder was one of five Bulldogs with 10 or more multi-hit games, collecting a pair of hits in 10 games and three hits once. She scored or drove in the winning run in seven games.
Malau'ulu commanded State's outfield this season, playing every position, sometimes spending an inning at all three spots in a single game. She cut down four runners at the plate and threw one out at third. Two of her five assists came in both left and right field, and she turned a double play in center field, throwing out a runner trying to score on a sacrifice fly.
Her five outfield assists are tied for fifth in school history and are the most in a season since Brittany Gates threw out six runners in 2011. The Long Beach, California, native is the second Bulldog outfielder to earn All-Defensive Team recognition, joining center fielder Amanda Ivy in 2017.
The Bulldogs will play Ole Miss in their first game of the SEC Tournament at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday, May 12 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The game will air on SEC Network.
For more information on the Bulldog softball program, follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching "HailStateSB."
Players Mentioned
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