Pac-12 announces softball players of the week

SAN FRANCISCO — The Pac-12 Conference office announced the softball weekly honors for play from Apr. 25-May 1. UCLA senior infielder Mysha Sataraka was named player of the week, OREGON senior LHP Cheridan Hawkins was tabbed pitcher of the week while CALIFORNIA freshman infielder Lindsay Rood was voted pitcher of the week.

Sataraka (Honolulu, Hawai’i) helped the 13th-ranked Bruins to a perfect 4-0 week, recording a walk-off, three-run homer on Friday against Arizona State and a two-run homer at No. 16 Arizona on Monday. Sataraka drove in seven runs, scored five times during the four games, walked on six occasions and had four hits, including three homers. On Monday, with the Bruins trailing 4-1 against the Wildcats, Sataraka belted a two-run homer to get UCLA to within a run. The senior continued her hot hitting on Friday, tying career highs in homers (2), hits (3) and RBI (5), including a walk-off homer in the seventh. UCLA trailed 6-3 heading into its last at-bat, but then saw four straight singles preceding a three-run homer by Sataraka to give the Bruins the 8-6 win. It was the second of her two homers in that game, as she added a two-run shot in the first inning to go with a single and a walk. This is UCLA’s 141st weekly honor.

Hawkins (Anderson, Calif.) allowed just two hits over the weekend in a pair of one-hit shutouts against No. 17 Arizona. The left-handed pitcher reached 1,000 career strikeouts in the win on Friday, becoming the first Pac-12 pitcher to reach the milestone since Arizona State’s Dallas Escobedo in 2014. She set a new Oregon career record with 32 shutouts after Sunday’s win. Hawkins is now tied for the wins record as well, as Hawkins and former Duck Jessica Moore each have 100 career victories. This weekend was the sixth time in her career that Hawkins has recorded back-to-back complete game shutouts. This is Hawkins’ third weekly award this season and 60th overall for the Oregon program.

Rood (Danville, Calif.) collected three hits in a game three times to help the Bears go 5-0, posting wins over UC Davis and a sweep of Stanford. Rood also had two hits in the first game against UC Davis to finish the week with four multi-hit games in five tries. In the Bears’ Friday win over Stanford, she went 3 for 4 with four runs scored and finished the week with a 3-for-5 performance on Sunday. This is California’s 91st weekly accolade.

A player of the week has been selected every week since 1989, with the pitcher of the week honor dating back to 1992. This is the second season of freshman of the week honors.

This week #15/13 UCLA heads to Utah beginning on Friday at 7 p.m. MT, with all three games airing on Pac-12 Mountain and Pac-12 Los Angeles. #5/5 Oregon and California square off in Berkeley, Calif., starting on Friday at 3 p.m. PT. The Pac-12 Networks full television information can be found here.

Also Nominated:

PLAYER: Kylie Reed, CAL; Kayla Bonstrom, STAN, Casey Stangel, WASH.
PITCHER: Nisa Ontiveros, CAL; Haley Snyder, STAN; Selina Ta’amilo, UCLA; Taran Alvelo, WASH.
FRESHMAN:  Megan Kleist, ORE; Carolyn Lee, STAN; Paige Halstead, UCLA; Morganne Flores, WASH.

2016 SOFTBALL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK