COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- San Diego State softball's Dee Dee Hernandez (La Crescenta, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday. It is the second conference weekly award of the season and career for the junior left-hander.
Hernandez was 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA in 10 1/3 innings against Nevada over the weekend, striking out three with two walks. The 2.03 ERA was particularly impressive as the rest of the Aztec pitching staff (which is statistically the best in the league) combined for a 0-1 record with a 6.56 ERA in 10 2/3 innings.
Hernandez took the loss on Saturday night, giving up three runs on four hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out one. Hernandez retired 12 straight batters at one point in the game. She rebounded on Sunday to pick up the win, tossing five scoreless innings of relief, yielding four hits and no walks, striking out two.
On the season, Hernandez is 9-3 with two saves and a 1.81 ERA in 62 innings. She has appeared in 25 games with four starts, combining on two Aztec shutouts. Hernandez has struck out 33 with just 10 walks, while holding the opposition to a .237 average. In Mountain West play, Hernandez is 6-1 with a save and a 1.14 ERA in 30 2/3 innings.
SDSU finishes its regular season on the road at UNLV this weekend, playing at 6 p.m. PT Friday, 3 p.m. PT Saturday and noon PT Sunday. San Diego State (27-16, 14-5 MW) needs one win to clinch the top seed in next weekend's Mountain West Tournament and at least a share of the regular-season title.