Next Level: McHugh honored twice, keeps rolling
Pittston Area graduate Alexa McHugh was honored for her previous successes Monday and Wednesday, then went out and continued the postseason Friday with another strong performance for the Misericordia University softball team.
McHugh opened the Middle Atlantic Conference Freedom Championship Series with a shutout Friday when Misericordia defeated Stevens, 7-0.
The sophomore pitcher/shortstop was unscored upon in 30 innings over her five pitching appearances since April 24 going into Saturday’s best-of-three series finale against Stevens.
McHugh was named MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week Monday after throwing 10 shutout innings in a two-game semifinal sweep of King’s College.
After a three-hitter with nine strikeouts in the 3-0, series-opening win, McHugh came back with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings of the second game.
McHugh was named first-team, all-MAC Freedom Wednesday.
Friday’s effort, in which she struck out 10 and walked just one, improved McHugh’s record to 13-1 and lowered her earned run average to 1.44. She struck out 111 while walking 28 in 97 innings with 12 complete games and five shutouts.
During the regular season, McHugh was second in the MAC Freedom in wins and strikeouts and third in ERA and opposing batting average.
In 22 games in the batting order, McHugh is hitting .309 with six doubles, three triples, seven runs and 11 runs batted in.