Irvine, Calif. - Senior Kelsey Kessler (Blue Springs, Mo./Arizona State) helped Cal State Fullerton clinch the outright championship with a pair of wins as she captured her third straight Big West Softball Pitcher of the Week award.
The right-hander tossed a complete game in a 10-inning, 5-3 triumph over CSUN in game one of a series the Titans eventually swept. Kessler scattered eight hits and allowed three runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out nine. She had a streak of 32 consecutive scoreless innings come to an end when the Matadors scored a run in the second inning.
Kessler struck out at least nine hitters for the fifth time this season, just one shy of the career-high 10 she sat down on Feb. 18 versus Texas Tech.
She earned the win in relief in game two, improving to 19-6 on the year.
Following a Matador two-run home run that tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth, Kessler entered the game and shut down CSUN for the next four innings allowing just three hits and a walk. She fanned four more batters to give her 13 strikeouts for the weekend. The Titans erupted with a four-run fifth inning to give Kessler the support she needed, and the 6-2 victory clinched a share of the Big West title.
Kessler has been the winning pitcher in each of her last eight appearances.
Others nominated: Lindsey Chalmers (Cal Poly); Cielo Meza (Long Beach State); Katie Kibby (UC Davis); Haley Marschall (UC Riverside); Dana Thomsen (Hawai'i)
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