@MizzouSoftball’s Baxter Named Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week
4/4/2017 1:00:00 PM | Softball
Tigers senior RHP also garnered SEC Pitcher of the Week accolades Tuesday
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Softball senior RHP Cheyenne Baxter (Norborne, Mo.) added to her awards list Tuesday (April 4) afternoon, following her outstanding weekend in the circle against No. 9 Alabama. Baxter was selected as the Week Eight Louisville Slugger / NFCA Division I National Pitcher of the Week.
Tuesday's recognition marks the first time a Tiger has received NFCA National Pitcher of the Week honors since Tori Finucane claimed the award on April 29, 2014. Baxter joins freshman SS Braxton Burnside (Paragould, Ark.) as Tigers to garner NFCA national awards this season.
"My catcher, senior Kirsten Mack, and I have our own game plan that we try to execute each outing," Baxter said. "There were many great defensive plays and key offensive hits that led to my individual success and the team's success over Alabama this past weekend."
"I'm really happy for Cheyenne and the team," head coach Ehren Earleywine said. "Her solid pitching couldn't have come at a better time for us."
This past week (March 27 – April 2), Baxter played a pivotal role into the Tigers' first-ever SEC series win against Alabama. She limited the Crimson Tide to only one earned run over 13.1 innings pitched, while tallying a 2-0 record with a complete game shutout and 0.53 ERA.
Baxter opened the weekend series Friday (March 31) with a complete game victory, marking her fourth complete game win this season. Two days later with the series tied at one game apiece, she tossed 6.1 total innings and limited the Crimson Tide to only one earned run.
The Tiger hurler started Sunday's (April 2) series finale and pitched 3.1 quality innings before being pulled. Baxter re-entered the game in the seventh inning after Mizzou tied the game at three apiece. She shutdown Alabama for the final three innings, setting up the Tigers' ultimate walk-off series-clinching win in the ninth inning.
In SEC only play this year – five starts, three complete games and one shutout – Baxter has accumulated a 3-1 record with a 1.18 ERA and 24 strikeouts over 29.2 innings pitched. Those five starts in conference action have all come against top 10 nationally ranked opponents, including at No. 1 Florida (March 12), at No. 7 Texas A&M (March 25-26) and vs. No. 9 Alabama (March 31, April 2).
Inside the SEC only pitching rankings, Baxter's five runs allowed (T-5th), 1.18 ERA (6th), three wins (T-6th), 24 strikeouts (T-8th) and .209 batting average against (9th) all rank top 10 individually.
Baxter is in midst of an outstanding senior season so far, as she's already re-established single-season career highs in wins (eight), ERA (2.10), games started (13), complete games (five), shutouts (three), innings pitched (80.0) and strikeouts (77).
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