April 11, 2006

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Monday, April 10, 2006) Redhawks senior pitcher Stephanie Huffman (Valmayer, IL/Forest Park CC) was named the Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week for her performance last week for the Redhawks softball team. She is the second-straight Redhawks pitcher to be awarded the honor after teammate Elaine Fisher (St. Peters, MO/Francis Howell North) won it last week.

Huffman compiled a record of 3-0 in three starting appearances and recorded one save while compiling a 0.00 ERA in 17.0 innings of work. She struckout 10 batters and issued only two walks during that span. She held opposing batters to a .091 batting average allowing only 5 hits none of which went for extra bases.

In her first start of the week against Saint Louis she worked 4.0 shutout innings, striking out four while allowing only two singles.

In the Redhawks series opener against Tennessee State she made a relief appearance throwing an inning of perfection for her first save of the season.

In game two of the doubleheader she pitched her seventh complete game of the season as she pitched her first shutout of the season. She allowed only two hits while striking out four and not issuing a single walk.

In the series finale she took a perfect game into the fifth inning before allowing a lead-off single. She lost the shutout as the Tigers scored two unearned runs but still picked up the win. She allowed one hit, struckout two and walked only one.

He helped her cause at the plate as well as she batted .357 (5-14) for the week including a 3-4 day in the series finale against Tennessee State.

For the season Huffman leads the team with a record of 13-3 which ranks fifth in the OVC.

In OVC games she is a perfect 7-0 with a 1.09 ERA.

Michelle Summers (Glendale, CA/Hoover) is the only other Redhawk to garner OVC weekly honors as she has twice won OVC Player of the Week honors.

Huffman and the Redhawks will look to extend their current four-game winning streak this weekend against OVC rival Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Kentucky. The team's will play a doubleheader on Friday, April 14 starting at 1:00 and follow with a game on Saturday, April 15.