ST. LOUIS – For the third straight week, redshirt junior Samantha Heyer was recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference for her dominance in the circle.
Over the past weekend during three games against UIC, Heyer has become quite the ace for the Panthers with a win and a save over the past week. In two appearances for UNI, Heyer pitched a complete game and picked up the save for the Panthers in their final game against the Flames.
During her complete game, Heyer allowed only one hit with no earned runs. In the last inning of the game, she was able to strike out the side to finish the day. Heyer also struck out the side in her save appearance on Sunday afternoon making her 11th in the nation for saves with three on the season.
In eight innings of work, Heyer allowed no earned runs with three hits and two walks. She threw 15 strikeouts, putting her season strikeout number to 127 for 16th in the country among D1 pitchers. Heyer is averaging 11.1 strikeouts in complete games, making her seventh in the nation in strikeouts per game. At this pace, Heyer is set to break the Panthers program record of batters struck out set in 1982 by Jennifer Berger with 216 strikeouts.
With three straight Pitcher of the Week honors, Heyer is closing the gap between her and the Valley’s most decorated weekly pitcher, former Drake righty Nicole Newman. In 2019 during her redshirt senior season, Newman picked up seven straight Pitcher of the Week awards. Heyer would need four more weekly honors to tie and five to break the current record.
(PHOTO of Heyer via UNI athletics)
