ST LOUIS – For a Panther record fifth time this season, a UNI softball hurler has been named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Pitcher of the Week.
After setting a career-high in strikeouts per game and setting the Panther record for most strikeouts in a single season, redshirt junior Samantha Heyer is the Valley Pitcher of the Week. This is the fifth time this season Heyer has been recognized for her performances in the circle, the most of any MVC pitcher the season and the most for a single UNI player in a single season.
With two appearances in the circle last week, Heyer continued her stellar junior season. On Saturday afternoon in her first performance of the week, Heyer broke her own career-high for most strikeouts in a game, taking down 17 Beacon batters in seven innings of work. Heyer was a strikeout shy of tying the current season high of 18 strikeouts among all Division I pitchers but did break the Panthers’ record for most strikeouts in a season.
After this week, Heyer has thrown 239 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched, smashing the former record of 216 batters struck out set by Jennifer Berger back in 1982. Heyer currently ranks fourth among Division I pitchers for strikeouts on the season behind Montan Fouts of Alabama, Maddie Penta of Auburn, and Emma Lemley of Virginia Tech. Heyer is also in the Top 15 in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings (11.1) and victories (20).
In 11 innings pitched this week, Heyer allowed just three hits, two runs, one earned run, and four walks while striking out 25 batters for a 0.64 ERA.
(PHOTO of Heyer via UNI athletics)