April 28, 2014
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame softball senior Laura Winter capped another milestone week in the Irish pitching circle by claiming Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Pitcher of the Week honors for the second time this season, the ACC announced on Monday. Winter was named the ACC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in her career earlier this season on March 10.
Winter posted a perfect 4-0 record in the circle for No. 21 Notre Dame in the past week, along with a 0.65 ERA, three walks and 28 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. She tossed three complete games to open the week, closing the Sunday doubleheader finale against Maryland in relief out of the Irish bullpen.
The San Diego, Calif. native hurled a complete game seven-hitter with no earned runs allowed and five strikeouts in a Tuesday ACC win over North Carolina State. Winter added a four-hitter on Thursday against Valparaiso, striking out 13 Crusader batters in her second straight complete game outing of the week. The senior right-hander made program history in the fourth inning against Valparaiso, becoming the first Notre Dame pitcher to surpass the 1,000 career strikeout plateau.
Winter was masterful in a five-inning complete game to begin the Sunday Strikeout Cancer series against Maryland, walking one with seven strikeouts in Notre Dame’s 9-0 win. She later closed the nightcap of the Sunday doubleheader out of the Irish bullpen, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings while striking out three Terrapin hitters. Winter made the most of her only plate appearance in game two, ripping a two-run single off the wall in straightaway center field to aid a five-run Irish bottom of the fifth inning and tie the game at 5-5.
Winter, the only pitcher with 100 career wins and 1,000 strikeouts in team history, is just one of two Notre Dame hurlers to ever win at least 20 decisions (22 in 2014) in all four seasons in an Irish uniform during the team’s 26 years at the varsity level.
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2014 Notre Dame Softball ACC Weekly Honorees
ACC Player of the Week
Karley Wester – Feb. 17
ACC Pitcher of the Week
Laura Winter – April 28
Laura Winter – March 10
–ND–