Claremont-Mudd-Scripps junior pitcher Julia Cruz has been named the first Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week for the season, the association announced Wednesday. The Tustin, Calif., native went 2-0 on the week, with solid wins over traditional West powers University of Redlands and Chapman. In in 2-1 complete game victory over Redlands, Cruz gave up just one earned run on four hits, while she held Chapman to just three hits, recording three strikeouts and one walk during another complete-game win. Cruz's shutdown performance from the circle was critical in a game that went 0-0 until the Athenas were able to scratch out a run in the bottom of the seventh for the victory.
Cruz (3-0) has allowed only four runs in three games this season, leaving her with a 1.12 ERA.
CMS jumped into the this week's first regular season NFCA Division IIII Top 25 Poll
at No. 17.
