Freshman Hannah Rogers Named SEC Pitcher of the Week
Monday, February 28, 2011 | Softball
Florida freshman pitcher Hannah Rogers (Lake Wales, Fla.) picked up her first Southeastern Conference accolade as a Gator after being tabbed the SEC Pitcher of the Week, announced by the league office in Birmingham Monday. Rogers' recognition comes just two days after the Gators went 5-0 in the Cathedral City Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., to improve to an undefeated 14-0 on the season, the second-best start in program history. Rogers' award marks UF's third consecutive SEC Pitcher of the Week honor thus far this season.
Rogers chalked up three big wins for the Gators in Palm Springs, earning victories over Indiana, No. 11/12 Texas and No. 2/2 UCLA. Rogers struck out 22 on the weekend in 16.2 innings of work, allowed just one run on nine hits and walked just three. The righty tallied 10 strikeouts against UCLA, just one shy of her career-high 11, and entered the UF/Texas game in the ninth inning with one out, the game tied at 5-5, to strike out UT's next two batters and give UF momentum to go ahead for the 6-5 extra-innings win. The first-year Gator also recorded her first career save against Utah Saturday, striking out the Ute's Jackie Sweet, the game-tying run, swinging, with bases loaded at the top of the seventh. Earlier in the tournament, Rogers pitched her third career shutout against Indiana, leading UF to a 7-0 victory to kick off the three-day, five-game tournament on a high note for the Orange and Blue.
No. 4 Florida is now 5-0 against Top 25 teams, has put up 110 runs to opponents' 14, while dropping 22 home runs, compared to just three from UFopponents.
The Gators will be idle this week before hosting their home tournament, the Lipton Invitational, March 4-6. UF will welcome Valparaiso, Syracuse, North Dakota State, Pacific and Gardner-Webb for the three-day tournament at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Visit www.GatorZone.com for information regarding the tournament in the coming days.
2011 UF SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
2/14/11: Stephanie Brombacher, SEC Pitcher of the Week
2/21/11: Stephanie Brombacher, SEC Pitcher of the Week
2/28/11: Hannah Rogers, SEC Pitcher of the Week
