(Photo Courtesy of Oregon Athletics)
EUGENE, Ore. – After a strong weekend at the Citrus Classic in Orlando, Fla., Oregon pitcher Cheridan Hawkins has been named both USA Softball National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week.
This is Hawkins’ first career national player of the week honor and her second Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week award.
The sophomore was a great choice for both, as she posted three shutouts and just one unearned run allowed over four appearances last weekend.
She improved to 10-2 on the young season after shutting down No. 25 ranked Auburn, Bradley and Illinois State.
Against Auburn on the first day of the tournament, Hawkins struck out 12 while giving up just three hits in a shutout performance. She added another shutout against Bradley the next day, holding the Braves to three hits in seven innings while striking out 16 more batters. She did the same against the Redbirds to close out the Citrus Classic, fanning 16 hitters while surrendering just two hits.
Her only blemish came against No. 1 ranked Florida, as Hawkins took the loss after coming in to spell starter Karissa Hovinga. Hawkins struck out five Gators in three innings and did not give up a hit, but a hit batter and a wild pitch with the international tiebreaker runner on second allowed Florida to win, 2-1, in eight innings.
Hawkins struck out 48 batters in 24 innings with just eight hits and five walks allowed. She held opposing hitters to a .101 batting average and surrendered just one extra base hit.
Jessica Moore is the last Duck to pick up USA Softball National Player of the Week honors, after the Ducks swept Oregon State last season to clinch the Pac-12 championship.
Hawkins won Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week after breaking the school strikeout record with 18 against UNLV on Feb. 14 and tossing a no-hitter against Ohio State on Feb. 15.
