April 10, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - West Florida pitcher Taren Walton (Sr / Pensacola, Fla.) wins the GSC pitcher of the week award for the second time this year. In her lone start of the week, Walton shut out the #1 ranked and East Division rival Alabama-Huntsville Chargers. The senior threw a complete game, allowing just four hits. Walton punched out five hitters with strikeouts, and handed UAH just its sixth loss on the season. Walton has the fourth best Earned Run Average in the conference, allowing less than two runs per game this season.

Walton now has a team leading five complete game shutouts this season, and combined with Jillian LaFrance on a sixth shutout. The Argos pitching staff of Walton, LaFrance, and Emily Burge, have combined for 14 shutouts this year. The three have also earned five Pitcher of the Week awards this season in the nine weeks of the award. LaFrance (So. / Calgary, Alberta) has also won the award twice, while Burge (Jr. / Pace) is a one time winner.

The West Florida pitching staff as a whole leads the conference in strikeouts, while Walton is 2nd in the league in strikeouts per inning pitched with 98 strikeouts in 94 innings pitched. Meanwhile, LaFrance is fourth in the league in total strikeouts with 103 in her 116 innings pitched. Burge is also in the top 10 in the conference in strikeouts per inning pitched with 79 in her 90 innings of work.

The Argos and their impressive pitching staff are in Decatur, Alabama for a four day GSC crossover. West Florida plays against Delta State Thursday at 4:00 pm, followed by two games on Friday and Saturday, and the concluding game vs. Henderson State on Sunday. The Saturday game vs. Arkansas Tech, and the Sunday game vs. Henderson State will be broadcast on Stretch Internet. Find the stretch internet link on the UWF Athletics home page, and click on the link for instructions to listen on your computer.