Nebraska senior pitcher Ashley DeBuhr and Arizona State junior hurler Katie Burkhart have been named Louisville Slugger/NFCA co-Players of the Week for the week ending Apr. 15, the association announced Wednesday. DeBuhr posted a perfect 3-0 mark for the Cornhuskers, including a victory over then-No. 11 Texas. Over the three games, DeBuhr allowed just four earned runs in 27 innings of work while striking out 37.
DeBuhr opened the week with a victory over South Dakota State in which she went the distance while striking out 10. She followed that victory with an 11-strikeout win over Creighton which moved her into second on NU’s all-time strikeout chart while making her the second pitcher in school annals to strike out 200 or more in three straight seasons.
DeBuhr capped the week by picking up a win and a save in a two-game sweep of the Longhorns. In the opening game of the twin set, she allowed just two runs while striking out 14 over 11 innings, a career high. She earned the save in the second game as she allowed just one baserunner over two innings in a combined shutout.
Burkhart allowed two hits and struck out 26 as she helped lead No. 7 Arizona State to a perfect 3-0 week in Pac-10 play with victories over California and Stanford, who was ranked No. 17 at the time.
Burkhart opened the week with a complete game shutout of Cal in which she relinquished a single hit and struck out 12.
In a weekend sweep of the Cardinal, Burkhart combined to pitch 11 and two-thirds innings while giving up just a single hit and striking out 14.
She opened the two-game Pac-10 set by hurling a second straight complete-game shutout in which she pitched six and one-third innings of no-hit softball. She closed the game with a one-hit, 10-strikeout effort as the Sun Devils won 7-0
Burkhart hurled four and two-thirds innings in the final game of the twin bill, striking out four as ASU completed the series sweep with an 8-2 victory.
