TEMPE – Arizona State University softball senior pitcher Mackenzie Popescue has been named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for play from April 21-27, the conference office announced on Monday.
Popescue was unstoppable this past weekend, going 2-0 and helping the Sun Devils (42-7, 13-4 Pac-12) pick up a non-conference sweep over Southern Miss, holding the Golden Eagles scoreless on the weekend.
The senior pitcher pitched her third career no-hitter in the series opener on Friday, walking just one USM batter as the Sun Devils rolled to a 8-0, five-inning victory that featured 11 of the 15 outs in the game going in the books as ground outs.
Popescue would finish out the weekend with a complete seven-inning effort where she allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out a season-high seven Golden Eagle batters en route to a 5-0 Sun Devil victory.
Popescue is now tied for the team lead this season with 20 victories and has only one loss to her credit. She has pitched six shutouts now with 16 complete games while posting an exceptional 1.35 ERA while giving up a Pac-12 low two home runs.
Her selection this week is the first weekly honor of Popescue’s career, and the 83rd for Arizona State all-time. It is the fourth time an ASU pitcher has been named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week with Dallas Escobedo tabbing the honor three times and those four selections are tops among all teams in the conference.
ASU returns to action for a huge Pac-12 road tilt this weekend against top-ranked Oregon in Eugene beginning Friday, May 2.