BATON ROUGE — Junior Pitchers Ryan Verdugo and Dani Hofer were named LSU Male and Female Student-Athletes of the Week this week.
Verdugo, a left-hander from Lake Stevens, Wash., allowed only one run on three hits in seven innings of work in a series-clinching win over Arkansas Sunday at Alex Box Stadium. He improved his record to 4-1 on the year and lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.52.
This is his first Male Student-Athlete of the Week award of his career at LSU.
Hofer led softball to a 3-0 record on the week, earning the win every game of a weekend series sweep over Auburn. Hofer threw a pair of complete-game three-hit wins ? including a shutout ? and earned the win in the third game after coming on in relief.
She struck out 15 in her first outing, only one away from her career high, and averaged 10.7 strikeouts per seven innings for the week.
Hofer now has 15 wins in 20 starts on the year and maintains the highest winning percentage of any pitcher in LSU history.
Male Student-Athlete of the Week
Ryan Verdugo, LHP, Jr., Lake Stevens, Wash.
Junior left-hander Ryan Verdugo pitched brilliantly in Sunday’s 4-2 win over Arkansas, limiting the Razorbacks to one run on three hits in seven innings with four walks and five strikeouts . . . Verdugo, who improved to 4-1 on the year, turned in the longest outing by an LSU pitcher this season . . . Verdugo lowered his ERA to a team-best 2.52, and he has recorded 26 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Female Student-Athlete of the Week
Dani Hofer, P, Jr., Safety Harbor, Fla.
Went 3-0 for the week, earning the win in all three LSU wins last week against Auburn, which was ranked No. 28 and No. 29 in last week’s polls … Threw a pair of complete-game three-hit wins, including a shutout, and came on in relief to earn the win in the third … Recorded 15 strikeouts in her first outing, only one away from her career high and the second most strikeouts of her career … Allowed only seven hits in 15 total innings, limiting Auburn to a .137 batting average against her … Surrendered only one run on the week before throwing nine shutout innings … Came on with the game tied in the ninth inning in game two and allowed only a lone single before retiring the final six batters she faced … Averaged 10.7 strikeouts per seven innings for the week … Picked up her 15th win in just her 20th appearance of the season … Maintains the highest winning percentage of any pitcher in LSU’s storied history.