BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Coming off a near prefect week in the circle, Auburn softball ace Maddie Penta earned her first Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week honor of the season, the league office announced Monday.
The selection was the sixth selection of Penta's career as she has now won the award more times than any other pitcher in program history.
Penta's week began with perfection as the Chesapeake City, Maryland, native tossed just the third perfect game in program history in Auburn's 8-0 win versus Georgia State on Feb. 29. Penta set a season high with 13 strikeouts in the outing as she joined Kaylee Carlson (2017) and Holly Currie (2005) as the only Tigers to reach perfection.
At the Jane B. Moore Memorial tournament, Penta went the distance in a pair of games versus Northwestern and North Texas, picking up shutout victories in both. Her streak of double-digit strikeout games continued as she double figures in both contests.
Penta closed the week with a 0.00 earned run average, allowing zero runs and just six hits over her 19.0 innings of work as she picked up three wins. She issued just one walk while striking out 34 and held opponents to a .098 average at the plate.
The right-hander has now recorded four consecutive shutouts and has recorded at least 10 strikeouts in five straight contests.
Eyeing history, Penta is just one win shy of tying and two of breaking Carlson's program record for career wins.