With a sterling starting performance on the first day of the 2014 season, sophomore lefthander Connor Moore (West Richland, Wash.) has been named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, announced Monday by the conference office.
Last Friday, Moore shut down the UC Davis Aggies for seven innings, giving up only three hits and one walk while striking out a career-high six batters. He was efficient in his start, throwing 79 pitches, and he allowed just one Aggie baserunner to reach third base as he was locked in a pitcher’s duel that eventually went to the Redhawks, 2-1.
“Connor very much deserved this honor, but it truly does not show how good he actually was on opening day. He dominated the strike zone and never allowed the Aggies to get comfortable because he had all of his pitches working. It is icing on the cake for a great first start of the season for him,” Seattle U head baseball coach Donny Harrel said.
Last season, Moore worked his way into a starting role during midweek games, including two starts against Washington as well as a start each against Oregon State and Oregon. In total, he made 15 appearances, including five starts, posting a 1-1 record. His previous top single-game strikeout total was five in just two innings of work at Dallas Baptist April 11, 2013.
Moore becomes the second Seattle U pitcher to earn WAC Pitcher of the Week honors, joining Andrew Olson, who received the award April 21, 2013, after pitching a complete game shutout against UT Arlington. For the first time since the reestablishment of the baseball program in 2010, the Redhawks won a four-game series, taking three of four over the Aggies, including Sunday’s 17-5 victory that set new modern records for runs in an inning (11) and runs in a single game.
Seattle University heads to Northridge, Calif., for a four-game series against the Matadors of Cal State Northridge next weekend. Links to live stats and live audio from Matador Field are available on the baseball schedule page of GoSeattleU.com.