University of Massachusets Athletics
Plourde Wins A-10 & UMass Weekly Honors
April 25, 2011 | Softball
April 25, 2011
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass junior pitcher Sara Plourde was recognized for a stellar week on the softball diamond by being named Atlantic 10 Pitcher of the Week, as well as UMass Athlete of the Week on Monday. The Bristol, Conn. native led the Minutewomen to a 5-1 record last week, including four shutouts and a pair of A-10 conference victories. This is the third time she has won each award this spring.
Plourde pitched every inning for UMass last week, posting a 5-1 record, including four shutouts, a 0.49 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched. The junior allowed just three earned runs in those 43 innings and held the opposition to a .136 batting average.
Plourde and Head Coach Elaine Sortino will be recognized at this week's UMass Sports Luncheon, to be held at the Cape Cod Lounge of the Student Union on Wednesday at noon.
Plourde went 2-0 in Atlantic 10 play, throwing a complete-game one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts in game one of a doubleheader against George Washington, and then went all eight innings to get the win in game two, allowing just one earned run and fanning 10 with no walks.
She opened the week with back-to-back shutouts, tossing a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks at UConn, and then throwing a two-hit gem with 12 Ks against Fairfield. After dropping a tough 2-1 decision with a 15-strikeout performance in game one against Syracuse, Plourde allowed just three baserunners in game two on two hits and one walk to shut out the Orange.
Plourde will be looking to become just the third pitcher in program history to record 1,000 career strikeouts when the Minutewomen return to action on Wednesday hosting Boston University in a 5 p.m. at the UMass Softball Complex. With her 67 Ks last week, the junior has 989 in her career, which includes her UMass single-season record 556 in 2010.
