Parker Earns Seventh Big 12 Pitcher Of The Week Recognition

A nearly perfect week has earned Oklahoma freshman Paige Parker her seventh Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honor this season, the conference announced Tuesday.

With the latest honor, Parker has set an OU record for most Pitcher of the Week honors in one season, passing the six earned by Keilani Ricketts in 2012. In addition, Parker joins Texas' Cat Osterman (2002) for the most ever by a Big 12 freshman.

Parker is now tied with Osterman and Texas A&M's Megan Gibson (2008) for the second most in a season in Big 12 history, trailing only the nine Big 12 Pitcher of the Week accolades won by Osterman as a senior in 2006.

Though she only pitched 7.0 innings this past week, Parker was flat-out dominant in her time in the circle.

Of her 21 outs recorded, 16 came via strikeout. She allowed only one baserunner on a walk and did not allow a hit or run in appearances against North Texas and Utah Valley.

In a relief appearance against the Mean Green on April 30, Parker threw the game's final two innings. She struck out four and walked just one while holding the Mean Green hitless and scoreless.

Parker then made history on Sunday as she tied an NCAA Division I record by throwing her fourth perfect game of the season in a 14-0, five-inning win over Utah Valley. Parker struck out 12 of the 15 batters she faced, finishing one off her career high of 13 strikeouts. Eleven of those 12 strikeouts were swinging, and she needed just 64 pitches (45 strikes) to improve her record to 24-5 on the season.

Only two batters even got to a three-ball count against Parker, and both of those ended in strikeouts. In fact, only one ball was put in play as Parker caught a line drive. The other two non-strikeouts were foul outs.

Parker joins Louisiana-Lafayette's Kyla Hall (1994) and Boston U's Audrey West (1994) as the only pitchers in NCAA Division I history to throw four perfect games in a season. No player has thrown five in one season. In addition, Parker becomes the 16th player in NCAA history to have at least four perfect games in a career.