ORLANDO – Following a weekend in which she pitched in three of the Knights' four games, helping UCF sweep ECU, Alea White has been named the American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.
White was masterful in the circle for UCF over the weekend, tossing a combined 14.1 innings over three outings in UCF's perfect weekend. She allowed less than a hit per inning and just two earned runs all weekend.
White's best performance came on Saturday, where White was a true workhouse ace for the Knights in the contest, defending just a one-run lead until the seventh inning when the Knights tacked on three more insurance runs. White posted three 1-2-3 innings and allowed an ECU runner to reach scoring position just twice all game. She finished the game with a seven inning, complete game shutout, allowing just five hits while striking out three to move to 14-3 on the season.
The Pitcher of the Week award marks White's second of the year as she also earned the distinction on Feb. 22.
"Alea was instrumental in our sweep over ECU this past weekend," said head coach Cindy Bal-Malone. "She set the tone with her pitching performance in the first game and the team followed along the rest of the weekend. I loved to see how she adapted after game two and finished with a seven-inning complete game shutout on Saturday.
"Her keen ability to mix speeds, pitches and her approach continues to develop and grow."
Also earning conference honors, Jazmine Esparza was named to the league's honor roll after hitting for a high average (.455) and even higher power numbers (11 total bases, three doubles) over the weekend. The "super senior" knocked in a team-high six RBI to lead UCF to the weekend sweep over ECU. In game two on Friday alone, Esparza was 2-for-4 with four RBI, three of which came off a monumental home run late in the game to give UCF the lead.
On the year now, Esparza is batting a team-high .408 with 13 doubles (first in conference).
UP NEXT
The Knights will next turn their attention to No. 5 Florida as UCF will travel to Gainesville on April 14 for their second showdown with the Gators this season. The Knights took down Florida at the UCF Softball Complex, 8-6, on March 24.
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