April 15, 2008
Senior Tiffany Pagano continues to add to her record of Pacific Coast Softball Conference Pitcher of the Week awards as she was named the co-winner of the honor for the week ending April 15, the conference office announced Tuesday. This is the fifth time this season that Pagano has won the conference's top weekly honor and the 15th of her career. She shares the award this week with Megan Galloway of Saint Mary's.
Pagano (Temecula, CA/Temecula Valley HS) factored in four of LMU's five decisions last week, going 3-1 with a 0.74 earned run average and three complete games, including a shutout. The right-hander registered 23 strikeouts on the week, moving into a tie with herself for the school's single-season strikeout record (227). In none of her appearances did she give up more than five hits and she registered at least five strikeouts in every outing.
On Wednesday at Cal State Fullerton, she got the victory after tossing a complete game five-hitter, striking out six in the 7-3 win. She was the hard-luck loser in the opener at San Diego Saturday, blanking the Toreros through the first seven innings before allowing the game's only run with two outs in the eighth, finishing with another five-hitter and seven strikeouts. Later that day, she came on in relief and kept the Toreros off the board for 3 2/3 innings of two-hit ball to allow LMU to win 7-3 in 10 innings. She would cap the weekend with another 10-inning affair Sunday, shutting out USD on five hits for the 1-0 victory.
Pagano leads the PCSC in every major pitching statistical category. She is 18-8 with a 1.39 ERA and 227 strikeouts in 186.2 innings. She is holding opponents to a .167 batting average and has nine shutouts and 24 complete games this year. She was previously honored this season with Pitcher of the Week awards on February 19, February 26, March 11, and March 18. Her five awards this year match her total from the previous season. Already LMU's all-time leader in strikeouts (773), complete games (80), and shutouts (33), Pagano needs two victories to move into a tie for the most wins all-time at LMU (69).
LMU (29-15, 4-4 PCSC) closes out its home schedule this week with a visit from league leaders Sacramento State. The teams will play double headers Saturday and Sunday with each day's play commencing at noon.
