NM STATE’S RODRIGUEZ, SEATTLE U’S ASHBURN NAMED WAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
New Mexico State’s Staci Rodriguez and Seattle U’s Richelle Ashburn have been named the Western Athletic Conference Hitter and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for April 8-14. This is the second honor of the season and her career for Rodriguez and the first-ever honor for Ashburn.
Rodriguez, a sophomore outfielder from Paramount, Calif., led New Mexico State to a 4-1 record last week, including a sweep of UTSA and a win over No. 17 Arizona. She hit .615 (8-for-13) with a double, three home runs and seven RBI on the week. She posted a 1.385 slugging percentage and a .688 on-base percentage. Rodriguez had a hit in each conference game and went 3-for-3 in game two of the Aggies’ mid-week series against the Wildcats. Her three home runs last week extended her season total to 16, which ties for third in the NM State single-season record books..
Ashburn, a junior from Post Falls, Idaho, went 2-0 with a 0.58 ERA and seven strikeouts last week as the Redhawks swept the series against Utah State. She pitched two complete games, allowing just one earned run in 12 innings of work. Ashburn recorded her fourth shutout of the year in game three and has now thrown 11 complete games this season.
Other Hitter of the Week nominees included: Louisiana Tech’s Amanda Krueger hit .417 with a pair of doubles ... Markesha Collins of San Jose State hit .571 with a doubles, a triple, two home runs and three RBI ... Seattle U’s Isabella Geronimo hit .700 with two doubles, a triple and four RBI ... Britnea Barilli of UT Arlington hit .500 with two doubles ... Texas State’s Kelli Baker hit .429 with three RBI.
Other Pitcher of the Week nominees included: New Mexico State’s Alex Newman went 4-0 with a 2.14 ERA ... Amanda Pridmore of San Jose State went 2-0 with a 0.98 ERA and 14 strikeouts on the week ... UT Arlington’s Teri Lyles went 1-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 10 strikeouts last week ... Ashley Wright of Texas State went 1-1 with a 0.57 ERA and eight strikeouts last week.
SAN JOSE STATE’S PRIDMORE BECOMES PROGRAM’S ALL-TIME LEADER IN STRIKEOUTS
San Jose State hurler Amanda Pridmore became the program’s all-time strikeout leader with her fourth strikeout of the game in the fifth inning against Louisiana Tech on April 12, surpassing Carol Forbes’ (2002-05) mark of 644. Pridmore now has 655 strikeouts on her career. The senior is also the all-time saves leader (17), ranks first in strikeouts per seven innings (6.0), is second in wins (63), appearances (154), innings pitched (762.2) and opponent batting average (.239), third in games started (104) , fourth in complete games (71), and eighth in shutouts (12).
NM STATE’S RODRIGUEZ MOVING UP SINGLE-SEASON HOME RUN CHART
New Mexico State sophomore outfielder Staci Rodriguez had three home runs in the series against UTSA, extending her season total to 16. That ties her for third in the NM State single-season record books.
SAN JOSE STATE’S COX ON 11-GAME HITTING STREAK
San Jose State sophomore Michelle Cox is in the midst of a WAC-leading 11-game hitting streak, which spans nine WAC games and two non-conference tilts. The outfielder had a 19-game hitting streak last season as a freshman.
New Mexico State’s Amber Olive has the longest hitting streak in the WAC this year as she had a hit in 17 straight games, beginning with the second half of a March 15 doubleheader at Nebraska and ending in the second game of a doubleheader against UTSA on April 13.
SJSU’S PRIDMORE LEADS NATION IN SAVES
San Jose State senior pitcher Amanda Pridmore has seven saves this year, the most in the nation and also the SJSU record for saves in a season. The mark is also. The WAC and Spartan career leader in saves, Pridmore has 17 in her four years.
SAN JOSE STATE’S COLLINS SETS SINGLE-SEASON WALKS RECORD
San Jose State senior outfielder Markesha Collins posted six walks in four games last week to bring her season total to 32. In doing so, she became the San Jose State single-season leader in the category.
LOUISIANA TECH TO HOST 2013 TOURNAMENT
Louisiana Tech will host the 2013 WAC Softball Tournament. The top six teams will advance to the double-elimination tournament, which will be held at the Lady Techsters Softball Complex from May 7-10. It is the first time the Lady Techsters have hosted the event.
Second-seeded Brigham Young claimed its first-ever WAC Tournament title last season in Las Cruces, N.M., to earn the WAC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
TEXAS STATE PICKED TO WIN 2013 WAC TITLE
In a preseason vote of the WAC softball coaches, league newcomer Texas State edged out San Jose State by one point to win the 2013 WAC regular-season crown. The Bobcats took the top spot in the preseason poll with 43 points and five first-place votes, just ahead of San Jose State in second place with 42 points and two first-place votes. New Mexico State was third with 39 points and one first-place vote.