Bowling Green State University Athletics
Liz Vrabel Named MAC Pitcher of the Week
March 20, 2006 | Softball
March 20, 2006
CLEVELAND, Ohio (BGSUFalcons.com) - Bowling Green State University senior Liz Vrabel has been named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon (March 20). Vrabel earns the honor for the first time this season and the seventh time in her Falcon career.
Vrabel, a native of Allison Park, Pa. (North Allegheny HS), had a record of 3-0 and an earned-run average of just 0.40 as the Falcons won the three-day, 16-team USF Speedline Invitational last weekend. She allowed only one run and six hits in 17 2/3 innings, allowing opponents to hit just .105 against her.
Vrabel, the 2005 MAC Pitcher of the Year, fired a pair of complete-game shutouts at the tourney, before picking up the win in relief in the championship. That final win, over Florida International, was the 57th of her BGSU career, making her the winningest pitcher in school history.
She had a three-hit shutout vs. Winthrop on Saturday, striking out 12 batters. Then, on Sunday morning, she allowed just two hits in a complete-game shutout win over Fordham.
Later Sunday, Vrabel came on to pitch three-and-two-thirds innings of relief, allowing only a run and one hit in the Falcons' 5-4 win over FIU.
On the weekend, Vrabel walked just four batters and struck out 23. This season, she has a record of 8-4 with a 2.01 ERA, an opponent batting average of .170 and a team-high 79 strikeouts.
Vrabel was named the MAC East Division's Pitcher of the Week, while Buffalo's Sophie Barstad earned Player-of-the-Week honors in the East. Central Michigan's Suzie Giroux was the West Division's Player of the Week, while Taryn Hagemann of Northern Illinois was chosen as the West's Pitcher of the Week.
The Falcons, 15-8 overall, are scheduled to open the home portion of the season with a Saturday (March 25) doubleheader vs. Detroit. First pitch of the first game is scheduled for noon at the BGSU Softball Field.
