March 20, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame RHP Will Hudgins (Richmond, Va./Douglass Freeman H.S.) was named to the BIG EAST weekly honor roll, it was announced Monday by the conference office. Hudgins captured BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week back on Mar. 12.
Hudgins tossed his second straight shutout as Notre Dame blanked Kansas, 1-0, on Mar. 16 at the Irish Baseball Classic in San Antonio, Texas. He allowed six hits in 7.2 scoreless innings of work. Hudgins fanned eight and did not issue a walk – the second straight outing without a free pass.
Hudgins has now tossed 17.0 consecutive scoreless innings. He has allowed just two earned runs over his last four starts (29.1 IP) which equates to a 0.62 ERA. Hudgins has been even better over his last two outings. The right-handed hurler has fanned 19 without a walk in shutout victories over both Michigan (8.0 IP) and Kansas (7.2 IP). Hudgins tossed 108 pitches against the Wolverines and 99 against the Jayhawks. Of those 207 offerings, 159 have gone for strikes – a remarkable 76.8 percent.
Hudgins, who has made 69 career appearances (just one shy of a tie for 10th in school history), improved his career record to 13-2. His career winning percentage of .867 would stand second all-time, but Hudgins remains one decision shy of the needed 16 career decisions. Herb Kelly (1912-14) holds the school record for career winning percentage (22-2, .917).
Hudgins is 3-1 on the season with a 1.31 ERA. He has struck out 35 and walked nine in 34.1 innings of work. Hudgins not only leads the BIG EAST in ERA, but also ranks second in the league in strikeouts and third in innings pitched.
Notre Dame returns to action on Tues., Mar. 20 at 5:35 p.m. for its home opener against Eastern Michigan. Freshman RHP Pat Connaughton (Danvers, Mass./St. John’s Prep) will get the start and make his Irish debut.
In-game updates will be available on twitter at @NDBaseball and facebook at NDBaseball while fans can listen to all the action locally on 103.1 FM and on the internet at UND.com.
— ND —