Pac-12 announces softball players of the week

SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 Conference office announced the softball weekly honors for play from Feb. 23-Mar. 1. OREGON STATE’s Hannah Akamine was voted Player of the Week, while CALIFORNIA’s Stephanie Trzcinski was named Pitcher of the Week and ARIZONA’s Trish Parks was named Freshman of the Week. 

Akamine (Escondido, Calif.) was a main contributor to a powerhouse OSU offense that outscored opponents 64-28 in five wins at the Fresno State Tournament. The senior batted 8-for-14 for a .571 batting average, scoring seven runs and driving in none with two doubles and a home run. She had two multi-hit games, including one against UC Santa Barbara where she went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI. Akamine also has been solid on defense, recording six putouts for the Beavers in the four games where she appeared as catcher. With the sweep of the Fresno State Tournament, Oregon State is 16-5 overall on the season. 

Trzcinski (Adelaide, South Australia) had a hand in all four of Cal’s wins at the Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament in Hawaii to help the Golden Bears to a perfect 4-0 weekend. The sophomore earned three wins in the circle, picking up two in relief and one on a complete-game shutout, and pitched the final two outs of a five-inning run-rule victory over host Hawaii. She tallied 15 total strikeouts in her 13.2 innings pitched on a 0.00 ERA, allowing only three hits and five walks in that span. Trzcinski’s complete-game shutout against Longwood saw the sophomore limit opponents to just one hit while throwing a season-high six strikeouts. Her work in Honolulu earned her the tournament’s Most Valuable Pitcher. 

Parks (Chino, Calif.) was once again a star for the Wildcats both on the mound and at the plate. As a pitcher, Parks threw 10 strikeouts in just 14.1 innings of work, allowing four total runs, three of which were earned, for a 1.47 ERA. She picked up three wins, including two five-inning run-rule victories, and pitched an out in Arizona’s 6-5 win over Bryant. As a batter, she hit .400 in six appearances for the cats, batting 6-for-15 with three runs and one RBI while drawing two walks. She had a hit in five of Arizona’s six games, including a two-hit effort against UTEP. 

It is the first-career weekly selection for Akamine, and her honor gives Oregon State its 38th all-time selection. Trzcinski earns her second-career weekly honor, having earned her first two weeks ago, and it marks Cal’s 89th player of the week honor. Parks’ nod is the third of her young career, and gives Arizona 43 selections all-time. 

Oregon State plays in the Hawaii Spring Fling beginning this Wednesday, Mar. 4, while California returns from Honolulu to play in the UNLV Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., beginning Friday, Mar. 6. Arizona heads to the West Coast to play in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. For more information, including a full schedule, visit www.pac-12.com.

Also Nominated
Player: Chelsea Suitos, ARIZ; Britt Vonk, CAL; Erin Ashby, STAN; Stephany LaRosa, UCLA; Kelli Suguro, WASH. 
Pitcher: Michelle Floyd, ARIZ; Bev Miller, OSU; Haley Snyder, STAN; Ally Carda, UCLA. 
Freshman: Jazmyn Jackson, CAL; McKeanna Arriola, OSU; Haley Snyder, STAN; Selina Ta’amilo, UCLA. 

2015 PAC-12 SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK