CLEVELAND – Western Michigan softball senior pitcher
Rissa Bajusz has been named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. Bajusz's Pitcher of the Week selection marks her fourth MAC Pitcher of the Week title of her career and her third title of the season.
In three appearances this week, Bajusz saw two complete games including two wins and a complete game shutout victory, after limiting opposing batters to an .118 average. Over the span of 16 innings pitched, Bajusz accumulated a 0.00 ERA. Over her total of 16 innings pitched this past week, Bajusz allowed on average 0.375 hits per inning. In game one versus Toledo on Friday, April 26, during seven innings, Bajusz limited the Rockets to two hits after facing a total of 26 batters. In game two as a relief pitcher, Bajusz received the win after holding Toledo to one hit after posting a team-high two strikeouts. Bajusz would limit Toledo to a single hit after forcing the Rockets into two groundouts and a flyout in two innings of work. Later in game three's complete game 3-0 shutout victory over Toledo on Saturday, Bajusz saw an efficient performance by limiting Toledo to three hits and one walk after facing a total of 24 batters in the complete game effort.
Additionally, with her seven strikeouts this week, Bajusz improved her career strikeout total to 493, which is 13 away from passing Jennifer Wolf (BGSU), 1993-97 (505 SO) on the all-time strikeouts list in the MAC record book. Bajusz is currently first in the MAC in ERA (1.73), shutouts (7), saves (3), strikeouts (205), strikeouts looking (49), and opponent batting average (.181). To conclude her impressive week, Bajusz tied WMU softball alumnae Bonni Kinnie for the sixth most strikeouts in WMU single-season history with 195. Bajusz now has 493 career strikeouts and is seven strikeouts away from becoming the third Bronco to ever reach 500 career strikeouts.
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