April 10, 2002
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State pitcher/designated player Erica Beach has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Softball Player of the Week for April 1-7. The award is Beach's second career National Player of the Week honor as she won the same award exactly the same time last year. The award also comes on the heels of her second weekly Pac-10 honor this year, Player of the Week recognition. Earlier, Beach garnered Pitcher of the Week acclaim back on Feb. 18. Arizona State has now produced two Division I National Player of the Week honors (Phelan Wright) and four Pac-10 weekly honors this year (Phelan Wright, Erica Beach (2), Kara Brun).
Beach, a senior from Scottsdale, Arizona, was one of ASU's main contributors at the plate and in the circle this past weekend as the Sun Devils defeated top-ranked UCLA once and 10th-ranked Washington twice. Offensively, Beach went 4-for-5 (.800) with three runs scored, two home runs, three RBIs and four walks. She was also tough in the circle going 2-0 in 12.2 innings, allowing just three runs with nine strikeouts.
Against UCLA, Beach allowed the Bruins only four hits and one run. She also went 2-for-2 and had the game winning win hit, a two-run home run in the fourth inning to lift ASU to a 3-2 victory. In the first game against Washington, Beach pitched three innings to hold ASU in the game before the team rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win the game 3-2. She was walked all three time at the plate. In the second game against UW, she went five innings, limiting the Huskies to two hits and no runs with four strikeouts to post her career-high 20th win. Also in that game, Beach hit another home run, finishing the day with a 2-for-3, one run, and one RBI game.
Overall, Beach is hitting .296 with five home runs and 25 RBIs. She is 20-6 with a 1.21 ERA and leads the team in wins, shutouts (5), innings pitched (155.2) and strikeouts (125).