Maggie Balint Season 2020

Final bio

Power pitcher, who is always a threat for a 10-strikeout game ... Has good movement ... Does a great job of mixing up pitches ... Not afraid to challenge opposing hitters … Finished her Aztec career with a 43-19 record, 10 saves and a 2.20 ERA in 433 1/3 innings, striking out 504 against 120.

SDSU Career Rankings (after the 2022 season): 2nd in strikeouts per seven innings (8.14), 2nd in opponent average (.199), 3rd in winning percentage (.694), 4th in saves (10), 5th in WHIP (0.999), 5th in hits allowed per seven innings (5.06), 6th in strikeouts (504), 6th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.20), 6th in solo shutouts (since 1999) (13), 9th in wins (43), T-9th in total shutouts (17)

HONORS
* 2017 NFCA National Freshman of the Year Finalist
* 2017 USA Softball Player of the Year Finalist
* 2017 NFCA All-Pacific Region (First Team)
* 2022 NFCA All-West Region (First Team)
* 2021 NFCA All-West Region (Third Team)
* 2022 Mountain West Pitcher of the Year
* Three-time All-Mountain West (2020 (only one team), 2021-22 first team)
* 2017 All-Pac-12 (First Team)
* 2017 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team
* 2017 NCAA All-Eugene Regional Team
* 11-time Mountain West Pitcher of the Week (April 13, 2021, May 4, 2021, Feb. 15, 2022, Feb. 22, 2022, March 8, 2022, March 15, 2022, March 29, 2022, April 5, 2022, April 12, 2022, May 3, 2022 and May 10, 2022)
* Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (April 4, 2017)

2022 SEASON - SENIOR
SDSU Single-Season Rankings (after the 2022 season): T-1st in saves (6), 2nd in strikeouts per seven innings (10.06), 3rd in strikeouts (266), T-3rd in winning percentage (.750), 4th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82), 6th in opponent average (.191)
NCAA Rankings: T-5th in saves (6), 11th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82), 17th in strikeouts per seven innings (10.06), 19th in strikeouts (266)
 
Put together one of the best pitching seasons in program history … Was named a first-team all-NFCA West Region selection … Was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year … Also earned all-Mountain West honors for a third consecutive season … Was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week nine times, tied with former Aztec greats Christina Ross (2008) and Samantha Beasley (2010) for the most in league history … Finished 18-6 with six saves and a 2.12 ERA, striking out 266 against just 39 walks in 185 innings … Held her opponents to a .191 average … Completed 11 of the 30 games she started … Struck out at least 10 batters in 14 of her 30 starts … Tied for first in SDSU single-season history with six saves … Also ranked second in strikeouts per seven innings (10.06), third in strikeouts (266), tied for third in winning percentage (.750), fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82) and sixth in opponent average (.191) … Ranked in tie for fifth in the country in saves (6), and was 11th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.82), 17th in strikeouts per seven innings (10.06) and 19th in strikeouts (266) … Led the Mountain West in opposing batting average (.191), strikeouts (266), strikeouts per seven innings (10.06) and saves (6, tied) … In MW games, she was 10-1 with a save and a 1.36 ERA om 97 2/3 innings, striking out 129 against just 20 walks while limiting the opposition to a .168 average … Opened her season with three straight games with at least 10 strikeouts, including 13 in six innings against Middle Tennessee (Feb. 10), 11 against Stanford (Feb. 11) and 11 against San Diego (Feb. 16) … Tossed a complete-game one hitter with 14 strikeouts vs. California Baptist on Feb. 20 … Struck out 10 in just 4 2/3 innings against Cal State Fullerton (Feb. 24) … Had 10 strikeouts vs. California on March 4 … Had eight strikeouts in four scoreless innings against Weber State on March 10 … Had 10 strikeouts in a shutout over CSUN (March 12) … Had a good weekend against Nevada (April 1-3), striking out 27 in 15 innings with just one earned run allowed, with 12 in the opener (April 1) and 13 in the finale (April 3) … Struck out 10 in a shutout over UNLV on April 8 … Had 12 strikeouts in eight innings against Boise State (April 15) … Had 10 strikeouts at San Jose State on May 1 … Had SDSU’s first no-hitter in 15 years against Utah State on May 6, striking out 12 … It was San Diego State’s fifth no-hitter in recorded history … Had another 11 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings against Utah State on May 8.

2021 SEASON - JUNIOR
SDSU Single-Season Rankings (after the 2021 season): T-8th in winning percentage (.680), 10th in opponents average (.212)
NCAA Rankings: T-20th in solo shutouts (7)

Had another great season, earning All-NFCA West Region honors (third team) and all-Mountain West honors (first team) for a second straight year ... Finished 17-8 with two saves and a 2.18 ERA in 166 2/3 innings ... Also recorded seven solo shutouts and combined for another, while striking out 137 with 41 walks, while limiting the opposition to a .212 average ... Recorded 16 complete games in the 21 games she started, while appearing in 33 of the team's 44 games ... Tied for eighth in SDSU single-season history in winning percentage (.680) and was 10th in opponent average (.212) ... Her seven solo shutouts ranked in a tie for 20th in the NCAA, despite SDSU playing in just 44 games ... Led the Mountain West in appearances (33), and ranked second in ERA (2.18), strikeouts (137), wins (17) and innings pitched (166.2), third in opposing average (.212), tied for third in saves (2) and tied for fourth in games started (21) ... Tossed a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts in her opener in the second game of a doubleheader at San Diego on Feb. 17 ... Tossed a one-hit shutout in SDSU's 4-0 win over No. 5/6 Washington on Feb. 26 (second game), striking out four and walking two ... Tossed another one-hit shutout in the first game of a doubleheader with Saint Mary's on March 13, striking out seven against two walks ... Had four-hit shutout at Boise State on April 3, strikeout six without allowing a walk ... Was named the MW Pitcher of the Week on April 13 for her play at UC Santa Barbara (April 10-11) where she went 2-0 with a save and a 0.42 ERA in 14 2/3 innings, striking out 17 without issuing a walk and holding the .300-hitting Gauchos to a .192 average and just 10 hits (all singles) ... In the opener with the Gauchos, yielded just a one-out single in the fourth, while striking out seven in five innings before giving way to Karina Faasisila with a 10-0 SDSU lead ... In the nightcap of a 6-2 San Diego State win, Balint entered in the sixth inning of a 4-2 game and ended up allowing one hit while striking out two to record the save ... In a 5-4 Aztec victory Sunday to clinch the series sweep, she picked up the win after allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits (all singles) over eight innings, striking out eight without issuing a walk ... Was named the MW Pitcher of the Week for a second time on the season on May 4 for her play against New Mexico, going 2-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA in 16 innings, striking out 14 with just three walks allowed, and holding the Lobos to a .167 average as only two UNM baserunners reached third base in the series ... In the opener on May 1, tossed a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in a 3-0 victory ... Entering in the sixth inning of a 5-4 game in the nightcap, she allowed two hits over two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the save in an 11-4 Aztec win ... Finished her weekend in style on May 2, tossing a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 SDSU triumph, striking out five with one walk allowed.

2020 SEASON - JUNIOR (COVID SHORTENED)
SDSU Single-Season Rankings (after the 2020 season): 3rd in strikeouts per seven innings (8.66), 4th in opponent average (.188)
NCAA Rankings: 19th in strikeouts (101), T-22nd in saves (2), T-45th in victories (8)

Was named an all-Mountain West selection ... Was a team captain ... Had an impressive first season on The Mesa, going 8-5 with a 2.40 ERA and two saves in 81 2/3 innings in 20 appearances ... Completed four of the eight games she started, posting one solo shutout, two combined shutouts and 101 strikeouts, limiting the opposition to a .188 average ... Despite the season being shortened because of the COVID-19 pandemic, finished third in SDSU single-season history in strikeouts per seven innings (8.66) and fourth in opponent average (.188) ... Ranked in the top 50 in the country in three pitching categories - 19th in strikeouts (101), T-22nd in saves (2), T-45th in victories (8) ... Led the Mountain West in strikeouts (101) and appearances (20), and ranked second in opponents average (.188), tied for second in saves (2), third in innings pitched (81.2), tied for fourth in victories (8) and 10th in ERA (2.40) ... Made her Aztec debut a good one, striking out six of the seven batters she faced for the save in the opener at Jacksonville on Feb. 6 ... Struck out nine in a loss against Brigham Young on Feb. 13, throwing 145 pitches ... Got the save on Feb. 14 against Southern Utah, striking out the side ... Picked up her first win as an Aztec against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 14, allowing five hits and a walk over eight innings, while striking out seven ... Struck out seven in just four innings with one hit allowed to combine for a shutout against Southern Utah on Feb. 15 ... Got the win against Notre Dame on Feb. 20, scattering two runs on five hits, two walks and a hit batter over seven innings, striking out nine ... Had arguably her best game of the season the following night against Wisconsin (Feb. 21), striking out 13 over nine innings in a 3-2 Aztec win, working around two hits, eight walks and two hit batters, while throwing a season-high 146 pitches ... The 13 strikeouts were the most by an Aztec since Rebecca Arbino had 15 vs. Iowa State, March 8, 2013 and tied for the seventh most ever by an Aztec ... Picked up the win in 4 1/3 innings of hitless relief vs. Weber State on Feb. 28 with three strikeouts and three walks ... Got another win against Cal State Fullerton on March 6, allowing two unearned runs on one hit nad three walks over six innings of relief, striking out five ... Tossed a complete game shutout the following game vs. Boston Univ. on March 7 with five hits and two walks allowed, striking out three.

UNIV. OF OREGON (2017-18)
Was a remarkable 28-4 in the circle over her two years at Oregon with a 1.51 ERA ... Struck out 214 against 53 walks in 185 2/3 innings, while finishing with 13 complete games, five shutouts and three saves, limiting the opponents to a .189 average ... In 2018 as a sophomore, where she entered the season on the USA Softball Player of the Year watch list, she overcame injuries to go 7-1 with a 2.11 ERA in 18 games (10 starts), striking out 62 and walking just 16 in 59 2/3 innings ... The Ducks finished 53-10 on the season, falling to eventual national champion Florida State in the Women's College World Series ... As a freshman in 2017, helped Oregon reach the semifinals of the WCWS and finish with a 54-8 record ... Was 21-3 with a 1.22 ERA and three saves in 126 innings, striking out 152 batters and holding her opponents to a .174 average ... In addition to her first-team all-region and all-Pac-12 honors, and being a finalist for the NFCA National Freshman of the Year award, she was one of 34 finalists (and the only freshman) for the USA Softball Player of the Year award ... Was also on the Pac-12 All-Freshman team and earned a spot on the NCAA All-Eugene Regional team, while earning Pac-12 Pitcher-of-the-Week accolades on April 4, going 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 17 strikeouts in four appearances.

CLUB - CHAOS GOLD
Pitched for the Chaos Gold club team.

HIGH SCHOOL - AVON GROVE
Went to Oregon as the No. 4 recruit in the nation by FloSoftball.com out of Avon Grove High School in West Grove, Pa. ... A three-time Pennsylvania Gatorade Player of the Year, Balint struck out 1,322 batters for her career, the second most in Pennsylvania history ... As a senior, she was 24-4 with a 0.50 ERA, one perfect game and five no-hitters, recording 371 strikeouts in 195 innings ... As a junior, was 19-4 with a 0.35 ERA with 294 strikeouts in 156 2/3 innings, while hitting .493 with three homers at the plate ... Named first team 4A all-state and co-player of the year after her junior season ... Was a four-time all-league pick …Recorded a perfect game while striking out 19 of 21 batters in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs her sophomore year.

PERSONAL
Margaret Balint was born Sept. 16, 1997, in Newark, Del. ... Picked Oregon out of high school over California, Texas A&M, Louisiana-Lafayette and Delaware ... Is majoring in interdisciplinary studies.

CAREER HIGHS
Innings Pitched: 9.0 vs. Wisconsin, 2/21/20
Strikeouts: 14 vs. Cal Baptist, 2/20/22
Scoreless IP: 32.2 - March 17-April 8, 2017
Win Streak: Feb. 9-April 2, 2017