WACO, Texas – Madison Garza of Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) garnered the RRAC Softball Player of the Week award for March 18-24, while OLLU's Cassandra Valdez added the RRAC Pitcher of the Week honor to her collection for the same dates. This is the eighth set of weekly winners for the 2024 RRAC softball season.
Garza batted .750 with three extra-base hits and six RBIs in a 4-0 week for the Saints. The senior infielder from Danbury, Texas, delivered three hits including a double and a home run in a 9-0 victory over Xavier University (La.). Garza also drove in a pair of runs in the second game of a doubleheader with Louisiana Christian University, and she finished the week with four runs scored, a walk and a stolen base. Garza is fourth in the RRAC in hits with 32. OLLU remained No. 1 in the NAIA and extended its winning streak to 31 games. The Saints are now 12-0 in conference play and 35-1 this season after outscoring their opponents 39-2 last week.
Valdez tossed her 19th and 20th career shutouts – including a no-hitter – to set a new school record. The graduate righthander from Brownsville, Texas, struck out 10 in a complete game, no-hit victory over LCU. Valdez also threw a three-hitter in a 9-0 defeat of Xavier. She finished the week with 21 strikeouts and four walks. She now leads the RRAC with a 0.54 ERA and 147 strikeouts as a pitcher. As a hitter, Valdez is the conference leader with 12 home runs. She has been named RRAC Pitcher of the Week six times this season.
Additional RRAC player of the week nominees: Claire Blinka (Houston-Victoria), Haley Fontenot (LSU Alexandria), Lexi Marks (Louisiana Christian).
Additional RRAC pitcher of the week nominees: Katelyn Carpenter (Louisiana Christian).