Feb. 24, 2009

IRVING, Texas - Freshman left-hander Whitney Canion was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week for the third-straight time the league office announced Tuesday. It marks the first time in Lady Bear softball history that a Baylor player has won the award in three-straight week and the third tow win it three times.

Canion is the first freshman in league history and first since 2006 (Cat Osterman, Texas) to win pitcher honors in the first three weeks of the season.

"It's a tremendous honor to be named once, let alone three times in-a-row," Canion said. "I have a lot of respect for the history of this league and this sport, so to be named in the same breath as Cat Osterman is a truly special."

Making four appearances through Baylor's five games, Canion struck out 41 batters in 26.2 innings of work. She allowed only four runs and four walks, holding her opponents to a .194 batting average. She threw a complete-game extra inning win over Sam Houston State, compiling 16 strikeouts in 10 innings. Her performance placed her second on the Baylor single-game strikeout list. Canion now has 96 strikeouts on the season, and is averaging 10.45 per seven innings pitched.