Pac-12 announces softball players of the week

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - OREGON senior outfielder Alexa Peterson and UCLA junior pitcher Ally Carda have been voted the Pac-12 Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for play from Mar. 17-24, the Conference office announced today. 

Peterson (Salem, Ore.) hit .857 (6-for-7) in a three-game sweep at Utah for the Ducks, recording five runs, two doubles, a triple, a grand slam and 13 runs batted in over the course of the series. She posted six RBI in the second game of the series on Sunday, which is tied for the fifth most in UO single-game history and the most in a game for the Ducks since 2008. Of her four walks on the weekend, two were intentional as the Utes tried to avoid her 1.857 slugging percentage, as Peterson averaged nearly two bases in each at-bat. 

Carda (Elk Grove, Calif.) pitched in all four games for the top-ranked Bruins last week, striking out 27 batters in 22 and 2/3 innings, posting two wins, a save and a 0.31 earned run average. The junior began the week by starting the game against No. 6 Arizona on Monday, then leaving in the third and returning in the sixth to retire five of the seven batters she faced and earn the save. In the three-game series against No. 5 Washington, Carda pitched two complete games on Saturday and Monday, allowing only two runs, neither of which were earned. Her lone earned run of the week came in Sunday’s game, a 10-2 loss for the Bruins. Carda leads the Bruins pitching staff with a 0.82 ERA, a 17-1 record and 126 strikeouts in 110 and 2/3 innings. 

It is the second-career weekly selection for both Carda and Peterson. Carda’s first came earlier this season on Feb. 25, while Peterson’s first weekly honor was last season on Apr. 15. It marks the 127th honor for UCLA all-time and the 45th all-time honor for Oregon. 

Oregon remains in Utah for two midweek games against Southern Utah and BYU on Mar. 25, before returning home this weekend to take on Washington Mar. 28-30. UCLA hosts Utah in a three-game Conference series running from Mar. 28-30, as well. 

For more information, including a full schedule, visit www.pac-12.com.

Also Nominated:
Player: Katiyana Mauga, ARIZ; Cheyenne Coyle, ASU; Cheyenne Cordes, CAL; Jessica Plaza, STAN; Stephany LaRosa, UCLA; Hannah Flippen, UTAH. 
Pitcher: Estela Piñon, ARIZ; Stephanie Trzcinski, CAL; Madi Schreyer, STAN. 

2014 Pac-12 Softball Players of the Week