TEMPE, Ariz. - After a series sweep of the No. 20 ranked Cal Golden Bears, left-handed pitcher G Juarez received two of the most prestigious NCAA awards for the week, earning both NFCA and USA Softball Division I National Pitcher of the Week honors, announced Tuesday afternoon.
"What a honor for both Giselle and the program," head coach Trisha Ford said of the sophomore's honor. "She is hitting her stride and it's a lot fun to watch her compete. Maddi Hackbarth and G have spent a lot of time in the bullpen and work hard on how they are going to attack hitters. Giselle is a special player who is very humble, hard working and an even better person. It's always nice to see those types of players rewarded for their efforts."
The National Pitcher of the Week recognition is the first for Juarez and marks the first time an Arizona State pitcher has received the honor since Dallas Escobedo received the award in 2014.
Earlier in the week, Juarez earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors for her third consecutive week, becoming the first Sun Devil to win the award in three straight weeks, and the first Pac-12 pitcher to win it three times in a row since All-America Danielle Lawrie (Washington) won it four straight weeks in 2010.
Juarez, a lefty from Glendale, Ariz., continued her stellar 2018 campaign last week by closing out Arizona State's series win over No. 1 (and previously undefeated Washington) on Monday. The sophomore continued to deal in the circle, opening ASU's three-game series with a 10-inning complete game shutout of the Golden Bears. In the outing, Juarez struck out a career-high 17 batters, a mark that left her just two-strikeouts shy of Sun Devil legend Dallas Escobedo's ASU single-game record of 19-strikeouts set in 2013.
Juarez has now struck out 159 batters on the season, now just 42 strikeouts behind Erica Beach, who sits 17th all-time in Sun Devil history in that department.
On the week, Juarez played a part in each of the four victories ASU earned, posting a 3-0 record in four appearances in the circle that included two complete games. In her 22 innings pitched, Juarez allowed just two runs on ten hits while striking out 37 of the 80 batters she faced on the week.
"What a honor for both Giselle and the program," head coach Trisha Ford said of the sophomore's honor. "She is hitting her stride and it's a lot fun to watch her compete. Maddi Hackbarth and G have spent a lot of time in the bullpen and work hard on how they are going to attack hitters. Giselle is a special player who is very humble, hard working and an even better person. It's always nice to see those types of players rewarded for their efforts."
These are amazing honors and truthfully amazing blessing also, but none of it would be possible without this team behind me!!! https://t.co/WNPfOLTpkO
— 'G' Giselle Juarez (@ggotgame45) March 27, 2018
The National Pitcher of the Week recognition is the first for Juarez and marks the first time an Arizona State pitcher has received the honor since Dallas Escobedo received the award in 2014.
Earlier in the week, Juarez earned Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week honors for her third consecutive week, becoming the first Sun Devil to win the award in three straight weeks, and the first Pac-12 pitcher to win it three times in a row since All-America Danielle Lawrie (Washington) won it four straight weeks in 2010.
Juarez, a lefty from Glendale, Ariz., continued her stellar 2018 campaign last week by closing out Arizona State's series win over No. 1 (and previously undefeated Washington) on Monday. The sophomore continued to deal in the circle, opening ASU's three-game series with a 10-inning complete game shutout of the Golden Bears. In the outing, Juarez struck out a career-high 17 batters, a mark that left her just two-strikeouts shy of Sun Devil legend Dallas Escobedo's ASU single-game record of 19-strikeouts set in 2013.
Juarez has now struck out 159 batters on the season, now just 42 strikeouts behind Erica Beach, who sits 17th all-time in Sun Devil history in that department.
On the week, Juarez played a part in each of the four victories ASU earned, posting a 3-0 record in four appearances in the circle that included two complete games. In her 22 innings pitched, Juarez allowed just two runs on ten hits while striking out 37 of the 80 batters she faced on the week.