De La Cruz Named Conference USA Pitcher of the Week
(Press Release) RUSTON – Louisiana Tech sophomore earned this week’s Conference USA Pitcher of the Week award following her performance in the Lady Techsters three-game sweep over UTEP.
De La Cruz posted a 2-0 record on the week with a 0.00 earned run average, picking up a pair of victories over the Miners (who entered the week ranked No. 1 in hitting in league-only games).
The Eagle Pass, Texas native tossed 10.0 scoreless innings, allowing only seven hits and one walk while striking out five. She improved to 9-0 on the season and extended her consecutive scoreless inning streak to 21 games.
De La Cruz tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout while allowing a pair of singles and a walk while striking out five in a 4-0 win over UTEP on Friday. She came back Saturday and threw three shutout innings in a 5-inning, run-rule win over the Miners. UTEP had only been shutout one time in its first 16 C-USA game this season before De La Cruz did it in back-to-back games.
De La Cruz ranks No. 1 in Conference USA in earned run average for the season with a 1.49 ERA, allowing only 17 earned runs in 80 innings of action. Opponents are hitting only .189 against her for the season.
