University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Redshirt freshman Rachel Garcia started her collegiate career with 23 1/3 innings before allowing a run.
Rachel Garcia Named Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week
February 21, 2017 | Softball
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SAN FRANCISCO - Redshirt freshman Rachel Garcia was named Pac-12 Conference Pitcher of the Week for the first time in her career on Tuesday after helping the Bruins to a pair of wins last week, including a victory over #22 Kentucky.
In four games, all in relief, Garcia struck out 22 in 20 innings, posting a 0.35 earned run average. She won twice and allowed just one run and seven hits with no walks, limiting opponents to a .106 batting average. At the plate, Garcia added six hits in 18 at-bats (.333 batting average) with five runs batted in.
Garcia threw 13 2/3 innings in last Wednesday's doubleheader versus Kentucky, striking out 16 and giving up just five hits and one run. In game one, the redshirt freshman struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings. She had four 1-2-3 frames in the second, fourth, sixth and seventh, striking out at least one in every inning, including the side in the fifth and a pair in the second. In the nightcap, Garcia fanned six in seven innings, posting 1-2-3 frames in the sixth, seventh and 10th. She had her consecutive scoreless streak to start her career snapped at 23 1/3 following an 11th-inning homer by UK, which is still the only run she has allowed this season.
On Friday in a win versus Cal Poly, Garcia tossed 5 1/3 more innings of scoreless relief. She retired the first 10 batters she faced after entering in the second inning. Following a leadoff single in the sixth, Garcia set down the last six hitters of the game, striking out the last two and four overall. In her final appearance of the week, Garcia struck out two in one shutout frame against Liberty on Sunday, giving up just one hit.
For the year, Garcia is 4-1 with a 0.23 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 30 innings, having allowed only 13 hits and two walks and holding hitters to a .129 batting average. At the plate, she is batting .433 with a home run and 11 RBI.
Garcia's award is the 64th Pac-10/12 Pitcher of the Week for UCLA.
The Bruins head back to Cathedral City this week for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic II, facing Georgia and North Carolina State in a Thursday doubleheader starting at 5:30 p.m. Live stats will be available at UCLABruins.com, while live video (for a fee) will be at FloSoftball.com.
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