From the Pac-12 office …
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Arizona State senior first baseman Abe Ruiz has been named Pac-12 Player of the Week and Oregon sophomore right-handed pitcher Jimmie Sherfy has been voted Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week for Feb. 13-19, Commissioner Larry Scott announced Tuesday.
Sherfy struck out 13 in relief on Saturday, tossing five and 2/3 shutout innings against Hawai’i. The sophomore fanned six consecutive batters from the 10th inning through the first out of the 12th, but saved his best heroics for last when Oregon took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 12th: Hawai’i loaded the bases on a single and two walks, but Sherfy recovered as Kaeo Aliviado went down swinging on Sherfy’s full-count offering to end the game. Sherfy’s 13 strikeouts and 5 2/3 innings pitched are both career highs.
This is Sherfy’s first career Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week selection and Oregon’s third all-time selection.
Ruiz was instrumental in leading the Sun Devils to a season-opening series sweep of Western Michigan over the weekend. His seven runs and six RBI contributed to ASU outscoring WMU 40-2 over 27 innings in the series. In the first game of the season, he hit two home runs and drove in six more.
This is Ruiz’s first career Pac-12 Player of the Week honor and the Conference-leading 100th all-time selection for Arizona State.