BIG EAST Names Verdun Pitcher of the Week
4/30/2012 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
April 30, 2012
CHICAGO - Striking out 27 batters in a doubleheader is a pretty hard feat to top.
The BIG EAST Conference acknowledged as much Monday in selecting DePaul ace Kirsten Verdun as the league's Pitcher of the Week.
Verdun's stellar performance against Syracuse last Wednesday highlighted a week in which the sophomore left-hander was 4-1 in six starts.
She finished with a 1.54 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 41 innings for the week. Opponents hit just .184 against her.
"I'm excited," Verdun said about the weekly honor. "It's the first time I've been Pitcher of the Week since last season.
"Our defense was a huge asset to my pitching last week, and the offense gave me the support I needed. It's a lot easier to pitch when the pressure is off."
In that eye-opening twin bill, Verdun had a career-high 12 strikeouts in a 3-2 victory over the Orange. She came right back to strike out 15 Syracuse hitters during a 5-3, nine-inning loss in the nightcap.
Verdun's excellence was not limited to the pitching circle. The Blue Demon slugger hit .556 last week (10-for-18) with two home runs, five RBIs, five runs scored, four walks, one double and one stolen base.
She helped her own cause with three game-winning hits---including a pair of home runs.
"My screwball and changeup were working well last week," Verdun said. "But against Syracuse, I went with my dropball a lot.
"The 27 strikeouts---I wasn't thinking of that at all during the second game."
Verdun (22-11) could wind up among DePaul's top five for wins, strikeouts, shutouts, complete games, games started, appearances and innings pitched in a season upon the completion of her sophomore year.
This was the sixth time Verdun has been honored by the conference after being named to the BIG EAST Honor Roll five times.
Verdun is expected to make her 34th start of the season on Wednesday in a 4 p.m. game against Northwestern at Cacciatore Stadium.
