CEDAR FALLS – A UNI softball pitcher and 2019 graduate of Charles City High School has picked up her first career Pitcher of the Week honors from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).
Redshirt junior Samantha Heyer was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week by conference staff on Tuesday. This is Heyer’s first weekly conference recognition, but she has earned MVC honors before at the end of the 2022 season. This is the third straight week the Panthers have earned a weekly award from the Valley.
Over the past week, Heyer led the Panthers in the circle picking up two more wins and no losses at the Tulsa Invitational. Heyer stepped into the circle in three games for UNI, including two complete games starting for the Panthers against Tulsa and Sam Houston State. Of UNI’s three wins over the weekend, Heyer pitched in all three, including keeping Sunday’s finale against Sam Houston State a shutout.
Against the Kats, Heyer entered the game in the bottom of the fifth with two runners on and in scoring position. Once in the circle, Heyer immediately threw a strikeout for the Panthers, not allowing the next two batters to get on base. In 16.2 innings pitched, Heyer threw 22 strikeouts while allowing just three walks for one of the best strikeout-to-walk ratios in the country at 7.33. Heyer also only allowed a .158 opposing batting average, keeping Tulsa and Sam Houston State well under their averages.
Heyer is the second UNI pitcher named MVC Pitcher of the Week. Redshirt senior Kailyn Packard earned the honor on Feb. 28 for her performance in the Georgia State Panther Invitational. Two other UNI players have earned MVC weekly recognition in redshirt senior Hannah Kelley (Player of the Week) and freshman catcher Alexis Pupillo (Newcomer of the Year).
Heyer is a 2019 graduate of Charles City High School and an all-conference pitcher for the Comets.
(PHOTO of Heyer via UNI athletics)
