April 7, 2008

By Kyle Herm
www.SIUSalukis.com

ST. LOUIS - The Missouri Valley Conference named freshman right-hander Nikki Waters (Hixson, Tenn./Soddy Daisy HS) as this week's State Farm MVC Pitcher of the Week on Monday, following her perfect 3-0 week in the circle.

Waters picked up three wins in the Salukis' undefeated 5-0 week, with three complete-game shutouts, and 24 strikeouts. She opened the week with a three-hit shutout of Saint Louis with eight strikeouts in the first game of the doubleheader on Wednesday, April 2, and continued her dominance into the weekend series against Indiana State.

The freshman hurler set a career-high 10 strikeouts, while only allowing one hit in another complete-game shutout in the first game on Saturday against the Sycamores. She also did not walk a batter, to just miss a perfect game.

Waters ended the weekend series with another complete-game shutout with six strikeouts in Sunday's 2-0 win, to preserve the undefeated week.

The Hixson, Tenn. native has gone 24-straight innings without giving up a run, or extra-base hit, and only walked one batter during her scoreless innings streak. She's is tied for the third-most wins in the league (12), and has a commanding 0.83 earned run average in seven conference appearances.

This is the first-career pitcher of the week award for Waters and the fourth time this season a Saluki has been honored by the league office. Sophomore outfielder, Katie Wilson, was named player of the week on Feb. 18, and junior third baseman, Katie Wagner, received player of the week in back-to-back weeks on March 10 and 17.

The Salukis continue play at Evansville on Wednesday, April 9 for a single-game against the Purple Aces at 5 p.m.