WACO, Texas – Samara Aguilera of Texas A&M University-San Antonio was awarded RRAC Softball Player of the Week for March 11-17, while Cassandra Valdez of Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas) notched another RRAC Pitcher of the Week honor for the same dates. This is the seventh set of weekly winners for the 2024 RRAC softball season.
Aguilera pounded out nine hits and drove in four runs in a 4-0 week for the Jaguars. The sophomore first baseman from El Paso, Texas, hit .563 for the week with three doubles and five runs scored in doubleheader sweeps over Doane University (Neb.) and University of the Southwest (N.M.). Aguilera is now hitting .409, which is 10th best in the RRAC this season. TAMUSA climbed to 5-3 in conference play and 15-5 overall.
Valdez added her fifth pitcher of the week award this season with a perfect game against USW. The graduate righthander from Brownsville, Texas, struck out 13 of the 15 batters she faced in an 8-0 win over the Mustangs. Valdez allowed one hit in her other appearance, a 9-1 victory over Doane. Valdez struck out 23 hitters for the week, moving to fourth in the nation with 126 strikeouts for the season. She also registered her OLLU record 18th career shutout and improved to 11-0 for the top-ranked Saints. OLLU is now 8-0 in the RRAC and 27-1 on the season.
Additional RRAC player of the week nominees: Olivia Coaker (Louisiana Christian), Ava Hernandez (Our Lady of the Lake), Allison Snedeker (Houston-Victoria).
Additional RRAC pitcher of the week nominees: Cameron Cowan (Houston-Victoria), Morgan Louviere (Louisiana Christian).