DENVER – Shianne Smith of Seattle University softball has been named Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Pitcher of the Week for the period ending March 31. The sophomore was electric in two appearances this weekend, helping the Redhawks take their first-ever series win from New Mexico State.
On Friday, Smith entered in relief with two runners on, no one out, and the game tied at 1 in the top of the seventh inning. She forced a popup on a bunt try and then earned a swinging strikeout. Smith then got ahead of the next batter 0-2 before hitting her with a pitch. With the bases loaded, Smith tallied another strikeout to end the threat. In the frame, the native of Gresham, Ore., threw 11 pitches, including 10 strikes.
In the eighth, she struck out the first batter of the inning and then went to two-strike counts on the next hitters, who were retired via flyout and groundout.
Smith was even better in the ninth, striking out the side as she continued to hammer the strike zone and allowed SU to stay in the game. Smith got to two-strike counts on all three Aggies in the 10th, posting a pair of Ks and a popup to first base. The Redhawks finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the frame to give Smith her fourth win of the season.
The right-hander went four innings, allowing no hits and setting a Division I program record for strikeouts in a relief outing with eight.
The sophomore appeared in relief on Saturday, throwing 1.1 innings and striking out two more Aggies in a game Seattle U eventually won in eight innings.
The honor is Smith’s second weekly conference award of her career. She won in February of 2018.
SU hosts the Redhawk Invitational this weekend, starting with a single game Friday. It will welcome North Dakota State with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. at Logan Field.