FLORENCE, SC – Senior outfielder Jessica Birchmeier has been named the Peach Belt Conference women’s softball Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2010 season.

A native of Port Richey, Fla., Birchmeier hit .538 in four games as the Patriots posted a 3-1 mark at the Early Bird Tournament in Aiken.

She registered a double, a home run, and six runs batted in, and did not commit an error in the field. She had a .600 on-base percentage and a .846 slugging percentage. She hit safely in all four games and scored three times.

Included in her totals was a 3-for-4 effort with the homer and three RBIs in the season-opening win over Mount Olive College.

Earlier this year, Birchmeier was named to the 2010 PBC Preseason All-Conference Team.

The Patriots open their Peach Belt schedule on Saturday when they host Georgia Southwestern State University for a doubleheader at noon. Admission is free.