Sports News Southwest

Colorado Springs, Colorado - San Diego State’s Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week, Commissioner Craig Thompson announced Tuesday. It was Ross’ eighth selection this season and 11^th of her career.

Ross has now won the award eight of the 12 possible opportunities this season (SDSU was off from March 25-April 1). Ross’ 11 selections are tied with Celena Velasquez (2003-06) for the most in school history, while her eight season picks are the most in a single campaign by an Aztec.

Ross led SDSU to a 4-0 record last week, all by one run. Ross posted a 4-0 record with a 0.30 ERA over 23 innings. She allowed just 12 hits, only two for extra-bases, and seven walks. A lefthander, Ross tossed three complete games, including a shutout against New Mexico on Sunday, and struck out 27, while limiting her opponents to a .148 batting average.

On Friday, Ross pitched all seven innings with nine strikeouts in SDSU’s 2-1 win over Colorado State. She allowed one unearned run on four hits and a walk.

Ross came back in the nightcap to toss two perfect innings of relief with two strikeouts to earn the win in the Aztecs’ 3-2 victory.

On Saturday against New Mexico, Ross gave up her lone earned run of the weekend on five hits, all singles, and five walks in the team’s 2-1 triumph over the Lobos. She also struck out seven.

Ross saved her best for last when she threw a complete game shutout against New Mexico on Sunday. She struck out nine and allowed just two baserunners (walk and single) over the first six innings.

This season, Ross is 28-12 and leads the league in ERA (0.99), innings pitched (260.2), strikeouts (251), wins and appearances (47), and is tied for the lead with 33 games started. Ross has already set a single-season school record with 251 strikeouts, while her 12 shutouts are tied with Velasquez (2005) for the most in a season. In addition, her 47 appearances tie her with Sandra Durazo (2001) for first and her 28 wins put her second behind Durazo’s 30.

The Aztecs (41-15, 13-5 MWC), who are ranked No. 19 in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 21 by USA Today/NFCA, will wrap up their regular season this Friday (6 p.m.) and Saturday (2 p.m.) at UNLV. San Diego State is one game up on second-place Brigham Young (11-5), which travels for two games this weekend against Colorado State and New Mexico.

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