OSU: Hatch Named Big 12 Pitcher Of The Week

Oklahoma State's Thomas Hatch has been named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week, and the Cowboys tied a record with his selection, it was announced by the league today.
 
Hatch's honor marks the sixth time this season a Cowboy has earned conference pitcher of the week honors, which is tied for the most in a single season in Big 12 history. OSU has also now had nine Big 12 weekly award winners in 2016, which ranks as the third-highest single-season total all time.
 
Hatch dominated the Big 12's top-hitting team with a complete game shutout of No. 4 TCU to lead OSU to a 9-0 win in last Friday's series opener in Stillwater. The sophomore right-hander allowed just five hits – all singles – while racking up a career-high 10 strikeouts and walking only one.

TCU entered the game with a .316 team batting average, but Hatch baffled the Horned Frogs for nine innings as he shut them out for only the second time this season. Hatch did not allow a runner past first base until the ninth inning, with that coming on a two-base throwing error.

Hatch's first-career complete game saw him throw 121 pitches and face just three batters over the minimum. He also picked three TCU runners off first base.

The shutout was just the second thrown by a Big 12 pitcher this season, and Hatch became only the third pitcher to toss nine innings in a conference game in 2016 (and fourth overall).

Hatch improved to 3-1 with the win and lowered his season ERA to 1.72, which ranks second in the Big 12 on the season.