Hawai`i senior Jessica Iwata and Cal State Fullerton freshman Jasmine Antunez captured Big West Softball Field Player and Pitcher of the Week accolades as both competitors helped their teams post unbeaten records.
Iwata Hits .500 In Sweep Of Cal Poly
Senior Jessica Iwata (Lihu'e, Kaua'i/Kaua'i HS) hit .500 and slugged .857 to help Hawai`i to a 4-0 record, as he earned Big West Softball Field Player of the Week accolades.
The shortstop began the week with a 2-for-4 performance in an 8-1 win at Cal State Bakersfield. She added a double and run scored as UH picked up momentum for its Big West series at Cal Poly.
After enduring an 0-for-4 day in the opening game of the series, Iwata proceeded to record five hits in her next six at-bats. In the second game, Iwata blasted a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the contest at 1-1. It was her fifth homer of the season and 52nd of her career. Iwata struck again in the fifth stanza, lacing a single to right that gave the 'Bows an insurmountable 3-1 lead.
Iwata produced the game-winning RBI in Saturday's 2-1 victory in the series finale. Iwata drove in both Rainbow Wahine runs in the game as she finished the day 3-for-3 with a double and stolen base. She kick started UH with a first inning RBI single for a 1-0 lead. After Cal Poly knotted the score at 1-1, Iwata pounced on an 0-2 pitch for an opposite field single that scored Kelly Majam and gave UH the winning run.
Iwata is now hitting .313 (41-for-131) for the season and is tied for second on the team with 31 RBI.
Others nominated: Leesa Harris (Cal State Fullerton); Tanna Bindi (Cal State Northridge); Sarah Carrasco (Long Beach State); Krista Bava (UC Davis); Shelby Wisdom (UC Santa Barbara); Nikki Armagost (Pacific)
Antunez Tosses No-Hitter, Goes 4-0 In The Circle
Cal State Fullerton freshman Jasmine Antunez (Garden Grove, Calif./Garden Grove HS) posted a 4-0 record, including her first career no-hitter, to claim the Big West Softball Pitcher of the Week award.
Antunez's no-no came in the first game of a doubleheader against UNLV. The hurler walked three and fanned four on 87 pitches in the 3-0 victory. Antunez returned to pitch in relief in game two. She entered the game with the Titans trailing 3-2 in the sixth inning, and proceeded to toss the final six innings as CSF won 5-4 in 12 innings. Antunez allowed just one run on five hits with three strikeouts during the outing.
The no-hitter was the first for a CSF pitcher since March 2, 2007 when Candice Baker accomplished the feat in a 1-0 win over Stanford.
The week began with Antunez leading Fullerton to a doubleheader sweep of Big West foe UC Riverside. She pitched a combined 11.0 innings as the winning pitcher in both games, allowing just one run and two walks while striking out 13. Antunez tossed a complete game four-hitter in a 3-1 victory over the Highlanders in game two of the twinbill.
For the week, Antunez notched a 0.58 earned run average and allowed just 11 hits with 20 strikeouts on her stat line.
Others nominated: Shelly Tait (Cal State Northridge); Amanda Hansen (Long Beach State); Jessica Thweatt (UC Davis); Shelby Wisdom (UC Santa Barbara); Kaia Parnaby (Hawai`i)