April 5, 2006
Tempe, Ariz. - Arizona State pitcher Katie Burkhart has been named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Softball Player of the Week for the week of Mar. 27-Apr. 2.
Burkhart moved to 16-1 on the season as she picked up wins over UTEP and an Oregon State squad that was No. 7 in the nation and winners of 28 straight games.
For the week she struck out 21 of the 50 batters she faced in 15 innings of work, bringing her season total to 186. She limited opponents to a .120 average, dropping the season mark to an overall .137 mark.
In the 3-2, eight-inning win over the Beavers, Burkhart limited OSU to two hits and struck out 11 batters to help the Sun Devils snap the nation's longest winning streak.
She allowed four runs on four hits in the complete-game outing against UTEP, striking out 10 and walking one as ASU scored in the bottom of the seventh for the 5-4 victory.
Earlier this week, teammate Mindy Cowles was honored as the Pac-10 Player of the Week after tying two NCAA records last wednesday against UTEP.
The #8 Sun Devils return to action this week as they host the #3 UCLA Bruins (30-3, 2-1 Pac-10) on Friday night at 7 p.m. and the #14 Washinton Huskies (26-10, 1-2 Pac-10) Saturday and Sunday. All games are to be played at ASU's Farrington Stadium.