The Big West league competition continued for the second week with three of the four conference matchups ending in a sweep last week. Leading their teams, Kelsey Rodriguez of Pacific was named Big West Player of the Week and Davis’ Justine Vela snagged her second Big West Pitcher of the Week recognition.
Rodriguez Doubles For Second Career Honor
Rodriguez led the Tigers on the week with a .600 overall batting average in a three-game sweep against conference matchup UC Riverside on the road. The sophomore went 8-for-12 and had five extra base hits, which included four doubles and one home run for Pacific. This is Rodriguez’s first recognition this season and second career weekly honor in her two years played.
The Scottsdale, Ariz. native got her second double of the game in the first contest against the Highlanders to start a rally for the Tigers with the first scored run, later to take a 3-2 win. In game three, the starting sophomore drove in three runs to help lead her team to a comeback victory, 9-8.
Rodriguez finished playing all four contest last week, going 9-for-15 with 4 RBI, while scoring four runs.
Others nominated: Nicole Johnson (Cal State Fullerton), Cya Neal (Long Beach State), Rachel Miller (UC Davis),
Vela Tosses Her Way To 30 Strikeouts
For her second honor this season, freshman Vela received Big West Pitcher of the Week for her performances last week against UC Riverside and Cal State Northridge. The Bakersfield native pitched a total of 20 innings allowing only eight hits and one run.
To start the week Vela pitched against UC Riverside in a 9-1 victory to close the series 2-1 over the Highlanders. She continued on the week against the Matadors with two shutouts. In an eight inning 1-0 victory for the Aggies, Vela pitched the complete game only allowing four hits with 10 strikeouts. Following that performance the starting freshman tossed her way to a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts to end the series sweep against Cal State Northridge, 3-0.
She totaled 30 strikeouts for the week, and now has eight double-digit strikeout appearances on the season, including three of the four conference games.
Others nominated: Taylor Petty (Long Beach State), Shelby Wisdom (UC Santa Barbara)