COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - There is a four-way tie for first-place in the MWC after week one of conference play, with
BYU, San Diego State, UNLV and Utah all sitting at 2-2. Colorado State and SDSU kick
off the weekend conference schedule on Friday at 1 p.m.in San Diego, while New Mexico
visits UNLV. In other action, Utah visits BYU on Saturday, CSU takes on UNLV in Las
Vegas and New Mexico takes on SDSU in San Diego. The Cougars and Utes also take on
Southern Utah in non-conference action this week.
Around the MWC
BYU
BYU has turned 14 double plays this year, which ties the season record set in 2002.
During the four-game conference weekend, five batters hit .300 or better (senior Belinda Osborn, junior Lauren Watson, sophomores Ashlyn Russell and Ianeta Le`i and freshman Krystle Chamberlain).
Freshman Jodi Norton leads the Cougars in batting average (.329), whle Ashlyn Russell leads the team with seven home runs and junior Niki Andersen leads the pitching staff with 11 wins.
COLORADO STATE
The Rams are currently riding a season-high eight-game winning streak.
CSU currently leads the MWC in team batting average (.336), doubles (66), RBI (166) and slugging percentage (.541).
NEW MEXICO
Junior pitcher Ashley Perkins has the lowest opposing batting average in the MWC (.193), and is second in innings pitched (106.0), wins (12) and games started (17).
SAN DIEGO STATE
San Diego State started Mountain West Conference play with a 2-2 mark and are in a four-way tie for first place with BYU, UNLV and Utah. They now play Colorado State in a MWC doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Friday, in a match-up of the top two teams in the preseason MWC coaches poll (SDSU-first, CSU-second).
Sophomore shortstop Meagan Hartung continued her hot hitting with a .412 average on the week and is leading the squad with a .374 average (46-of-123). She was only 2-for-20 (.100) all of last season. Hartung also hit her first career home run in Saturday's 5-2 win over BYU, becoming the third Aztec this season to hit their first career homers. Senior secondbaseman Joann Figueroa hit her first homer on Feb. 20 against Iowa State, while junior catcher Danielle Touhey hit her first this season on Feb. 14 against Oklahoma State.
SDSU's 4-3, 11-inning loss to Utah tied season highs in terms of longest game (3:00) and innings (11). The Aztecs fell to Washington in 11 innings (and 3:00) on Feb. 8, 7-6.
UNLV
Junior pitcher Jacqueline Kerrigan leads the Mountain West in strikeouts (179), innings pitched (185.2), wins (16), appearances (35) and games started (32).
The Rebels will not play in another tournament before the Mountain West Conference Championship in May.
UTAH
As a team, Utah hit eight home runs in five games last week. The Utes have knocked 36 home runs this year to lead the league.
Sophomore Lynsey Wall broke out of her funk last week, hitting .562 over Utah's five games. Wall had three home runs and drove in three runs, while scoring six herself.
Sophomore Brianna Gourdin picked up all three of Utah's victories last week. She recorded a 1.46 ERA in 24 innings of work.
