COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- BYU sophomore Angeline Quiocho and Utah sophomore righthander Ashley Smuda and BYU senior righthander Christina Gwyn-Trice have been named Mountain West Conference Softball Player and Co-Pitchers of the Week, respectively.
"It's exciting for Quiocho and Gwyn-Trice to gain much deserved recognition," BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said.
Quiocho, from Walnut, Calif., carried the Cougars to a 1-0 victory over nationally-ranked San Diego State. The sophomore hit a game-winning home run in the top of the ninth inning, recording the only run of the game. In BYU's six wins last week, Quiocho managed a hit in all six, carrying a .500 batting average. She had three multiple-hit games, including two home runs on the week. In 18 at-bats, Quiocho earned nine hits, six runs and four RBI.
Smuda, a Scottsdale, Ariz., native, allowed one hit in 15.2 innings pitched over the weekend. In the 1-0 win against No. 21/18 San Diego State, she pitched a one-hitter, while striking out eight batters. She entered the first game against UNLV with the tying run on base and one out in the sixth inning. She got out of the jam, forcing the next two batters into outs to save the inning. In the second game vs. the Rebels, Smuda earned her second no-hitter of the season, while striking out five batters. She becomes the first Utah pitcher since Ali Andrus-Sagas in 1997 to pitch two no-hitters in a year.
Gwyn-Trice, hailing from Keller, Texas, was the winning pitcher in BYU's no-hitter against Southern Utah. It marked the team's first no-hitter of the season. She faced 13 batters over the weekend, striking out five and walking only two. Against San Diego State, she threw a complete nine innings without giving up a run. She allowed five hits, compared to nine strikeouts and only one walk. During her three appearances of the week, she gave up two earned runs in a combined 18.1 innings.