Parker Wins Fourth Weekly Honor from Big 12

NORMAN -- Sophomore Paige Parker has been named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Week for the fourth time this season, the league announced Tuesday.

Parker did not allow a single earned run in helping No. 7/7 Oklahoma go 4-0 last week and extend its winning streak to 20 games, tied for the fourth longest win streak in program history.

In going 3-0, she gave up one unearned run and seven hits while striking out 25 and walking just two in 19.0 innings as OU claimed its fifth straight Big 12 title. Parker made three starts and threw three complete games with two shutouts, while opponents hit just .115 off her.

Parker now has four Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors this season, previously winning on April 12, March 15 and Feb. 23. It was also the 11th such honor of her career; only Texas' Cat Osterman (25), Oklahoma's Keilani Ricketts (16), Texas' Blaire Luna (13) and Missouri's Chelsea Thomas (12) have more.

In a 4-1 win at Tulsa, Parker struck out nine and allowed one unearned run on three hits and two walks. She had four 1-2-3 innings, including striking out the side in the seventh.

She struck out seven and gave up just three hits with no walks in throwing an 8-0, five-inning shutout of Texas Tech on Friday. Parker was perfect over the first three innings before allowing a leadoff single in the fourth. In fact, she ended all five innings with a strikeout.

Parker was brilliant in the circle for Oklahoma in a 4-0 win Saturday, facing the minimum 21 batters. She struck out nine with one hit allowed and no walks to improve her record to 26-3 on the season. She has earned a win in 16 straight appearances, two of which were in relief, and has 11 shutouts this year. Texas Tech's only baserunner came via a single by Kierra Miles in the first inning, but she was thrown out trying to steal second. From there, Parker retired the last 18 batters she faced.

One of 25 finalists for USA Softball Player of the Year, Parker hasn't given up an earned run in 23.0 straight innings and has allowed just two over her last 40.2 frames (0.34 ERA).

On the season, Parker is 26-3 with a 1.51 ERA in 176.0 innings. She's struck out 204 batters against just 44 walks, has thrown 11 shutouts and has held opponents to a batting average of .181.