Outfielder Sarah Stringer and pitcher Erica Peterson were named Big 12 Player/Pitcher-Of-The-WeekOutfielder Sarah Stringer and pitcher Erica Peterson were named Big 12 Player/Pitcher-Of-The-Week
Softball

Two Missouri Softball Players Honored By Big 12 Conference

May 11, 2004

Columbia, Mo. - Two freshmen on the Missouri softball team were honored Tuesday morning by the Big 12 Conference as Erica Peterson was named Big 12 Pitcher-of-the-Week, with outfielder Sarah Stringer earning Big 12 Player-Of-The Week recognition.

Playing in right field, Stringer (Auxuasse, Mo.) hit .500 in a series sweep of Big 12 champion No. 13 Nebraska last weekend, while Missouri lefty Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) recorded her first complete game with a shutout of the Huskers last Sunday allowing only two hits.

Strong on both the offense and defense, Stringer made her 38th and 39th career starts in Missouri's two-game series against Nebraska. In the 4-3 win over the Huskers last Saturday, Stringer was 3-for-3, recording a single, double and triple in her turns at the plate. In the third inning the rightfielder recorded her second consecutive triple. Stringer is the only Tiger of the 2004 team to hit two triples this season, the last coming against Texas Tech at home on May 2. Entering Thursday's Big 12 Softball Conference Championship series, Stringer is tied with Sharonda McDonald of Texas A&M for most triples against Big 12 opponents (two).

In the 1-0 win last Sunday, Stringer assisted in closing out the seventh inning with a huge save, diving in right field for a fly ball hit by Nebraska leadoff batter Nicole Trombolli.

Peterson made her sixth start of the season and threw her first complete game of 2004 (1-2 overall, 1-0 Big 12 Conference) to defeat the Huskers last Sunday. In her first two innings of play the left-handed pitcher managed to shutdown the Huskers, each time striking out Nebraska's third batter. Peterson carried a no-hitter through three innings before giving up a single in the fourth with two outs. She hit her stride in the fifth inning, fanning three straight batters. On the day, Peterson totaled four strikeouts while giving up two hits.

Stringer and Peterson along with the rest of the Missouri softball team will travel to Oklahoma City, Okla., for their first game of the Big 12 Conference Softball Championships on Thursday, May 13 at 10 a.m. against Oklahoma State. The Tigers and Cowgirls will meet on field two of the ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.