COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State softball's Dee Dee Hernandez (La Crescenta, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. It is her first career MW weekly accolade.
Hernandez went 1-1 with a save last weekend at the competitive Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, where the Aztecs (11-5) went 2-3, including a win over No. 5/5 Washington, and 7-6 extra-inning losses to No. 18/15 Northwestern and No. 16/19 Missouri. The left-hander pitched in four of the team's five games, recording a 1.20 ERA in 11 2/3 innings, striking out nine with three walks, while limiting the opposition to a .171 average. Out of the 27 teams at the tournament, Hernandez ranked sixth in ERA (1.20) and eighth in opposing batting average (.171).
Hernandez picked up the win against UC Davis on Thursday, tossing five scoreless innings with one hit allowed, striking out four without issuing a walk. On Friday against No. 18/15 Northwestern, Hernandez gave up one run on three hits and a walk over 2 1/3 innings. She then earned the save later in the night against No. 5/5 Washington, tossing two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Hernandez took the loss in relief vs. No. 16/19 Missouri on Saturday, giving up two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings, striking out two.
On the season, Hernandez is 2-1 with three saves and a 1.08 ERA in 26 innings. She has struck out 23 against just three walks, holding her opponents to a .207 average.
SDSU plays six games at SDSU Softball Stadium this weekend at the San Diego Classic, including a matchup with Brigham Young at 6 p.m. PT Thursday, Boston Univ. (2:30 p.m. PT) and California (5 p.m. PT) on Friday, Yale (3 p.m. PT) and Long Beach State (5:30 p.m. PT) on Saturday, and Stony Brook at 10 a.m. PT Sunday.