USA Softball Names Scali National Co-Player of the Week
2/26/2019 3:49:00 PM | Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Kent State redshirt freshman pitcher Andrea Scali has been named the USA Softball Collegiate Co-Player of the Week, the organization announced Tuesday (Feb. 26). It's the first national award in her brief career and it's the fifth straight season a Golden Flash has received national recognition. In both of weeks Kent State has played games, Scali has been named the Mid-American Conference Pitcher of the Week. She shared the award with Arkansas' Danielle Gibson who hit for the first ever home run cycle last week.
"It was a great weekend for us as a team, and I feel honored to receive an award like this. My teammates in the field played great defense and the offense provided run support and gave me confidence to help us win," said Kent State redshirt freshman pitcher Andrea Scali. "I also want to give a shout out to catcher Carlee Selle for doing a great job behind the plate all weekend."
"What a great honor for Andrea and for our program. Andrea is an excellent pitcher. She and Carlee did and great job this weekend and Coach Johnson (pitching coach Emma Johnson) called great games. I know Andrea was boosted by solid run support from her teammates as well, said Kent State head coach Eric Oakley. "We are proud of her. She is not only an exceptional athlete, but a quality person and a dedicated teammate. What a great start to her career."
Scali turned in another fabulous week inside the circle, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning and recording two victories against #21 Baylor. She threw 18 total innings and limited the opposition to a .136 batting average with a 0.78 ERA and 26 strikeouts to five walks while posting three total wins. The Parma, Ohio native allowed the first earned run of her career in the second game against #21 Baylor after 31 innings of work without an earned run.
On Friday against North Texas, Scali took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. The Golden Flashes shutout the Mean Green 6-0 and Scali tied her career high with 12 strikeouts. It's the only time UNT (10-4) has been shut out all season. Scali was integral in a historic day as the Flashes won two games in the same day over a ranked opponent against #21 Baylor.
She was dominant in the first game against the Lady Bears as the potent Baylor offense was shutout for the only time this year in the 1-0 win. Scali went the distance and spun a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts. She scattered two harmless singles and became the first pitcher to throw a two-hitter against the Lady Bears since #2 Oklahoma's All-American Paige Parker did so last year on March 29. Her 11 strikeouts are the most for the Lady Bears since facing #2 Florida's All-American Kelly Barnhill on March 3 of last season. The Golden Flashes won their first game over a ranked opponent since a 3-0 victory at #3 Michigan in 2015.
In the nightcap, Scali entered out of the bullpen and received the victory after four innings of work in Kent State's extra-inning 6-5 victory. She struck out three and allowed two earned runs in her relief work, she took the Flashes into extra innings and with the international tiebreaker in effect, did not allow the Baylor runner past third base.
Kent State has garnered national attention for the fifth consecutive year. In 2015 current Flashes pitching coach Emma Johnson won the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) Pitcher of the Week award throwing 22.1 innings that included three shutouts, a no-hitter, a one-hitter and a two-hitter. In 2016 and 2018 All-American Holly Speers was named the player of the week by both the NFCA and USA Softball. In 2016, she homered in five consecutive at bats and last year had 11 RBIs and a 2.333 slugging percentage in a single week. During the 2017 campaign pitcher Ronnie Ladines earned both awards. She earned the Louisville Slugger/NFCA National Pitcher of the Week throwing 12 innings of scoreless ball with a perfect game and a no-hitter. Later that season she won the USA Softball National Player of the Week award at the MAC Tournament. Ladines won four games inside the circle with a 1.06 ERA and 34 strikes while batting .529 (9-for-17) with two doubles, four home runs, seven RBI and a 1.353 slugging percentage.
Kent State remains on the road this week with a pair of weekday games against #10 LSU and Southeastern Louisiana. The Flashes will battle the Tigers on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 7:00 p.m. EST/6:00 CST and the Lions on Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 4:00 p.m. EST/3:00 CST. Later this weekend the Golden Flashes travel to the Arizona Wildcat Invitational for five games with four coming against top-25 ranked squads.
Be sure to follow the Flashes on Twitter and Instagram for news and in-game updates about the squad.
