March 8, 2005
SAN DIEGO -
San Diego State junior pitcher Celena Velasquez has been named Mountain West Conference softball pitcher of the week. It is the third honor of the season for Velasquez, and ninth of her career.
Velasquez led the Aztecs to wins over Southern Utah (5-0) and Arizona State (1-0) at the Louisville Slugger Classic in Tempe, Ariz., last week, collecting her 30th and 31st career complete game victories and first career no-hitter. Her no-hitter came in SDSU's tournament opening win over the Thunderbirds, striking out nine batters in the process. She followed the next day by outdueling the Sun Devils ace Katherine Burkhart with a complete game, two-hitter in the Aztecs' 1-0 win over host ASU. On the week, Velasquez struck out 15, while only giving up two hits, two walks and no runs in 16.0 innings. For the season, Velasquez is 7-1, with three saves, 88 strikeouts and an ERA of 0.79 in 62.1 innings pitched. She currently ranks first in the MWC in earned run average, strikeouts, opposing batting average (.136) and saves, while she is second in wins.
SDSU returns home Wednesday at 7 p.m. for a single game with San Diego before hitting the road again March 11, for a doubleheader with Cal State Fullerton followed by a trip to Long Beach, for the Long Beach State Tournament, March 12-13.