May 10, 2005

Columbia, Mo. - Senior Missouri softball player Erin Kalka was named Big 12 Pitcher of the Week for her work on the mound May 2-8. A native of Chandler, Okla., Kalka did not allow a run in 8.1 innings against No. 24 Nebraska, May 7-8. The honor is the third in three consecutive years for Kalka.

Kalka fanned 11 batters over the weekend, 10 notched on Senior Day, May 8, at University Field against the Cornhuskers. Collecting her first solo shutout of the season Sunday, Kalka held Nebraska to only three hits during her 7.0 innings on the mound.

Since making her 2005 debut March 19, Kalka has totaled 90 strikeouts in 87.2 innings of work. To date, Kalka is 7-5 overall and 6-5 against league opponents.

Kalka is the first Missouri pitcher to be recognized as Big 12 Pitcher of the Week in 2005. Earlier in the campaign, redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) was named Big 12 Player of the Week, while junior outfielder Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.) received league honors last week.

The fifth-seeded Tigers will travel to Oklahoma City, Okla., for the 10th annual Big 12 Softball Tournament, May 11-14, at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium. Missouri will play its first game Thursday, May 12, against No. 4 seed Baylor at 11 a.m. (CT). Live stats for all Missouri games will be provided through www.big12sports.com, or www.mutigers.com.

In last season's outing, the Tigers advanced through the championship bracket behind the strong arm of Kalka. Making their first appearance since 1997 in the league championship game, the Tigers fell to Nebraska 1-0 to finish second.