April 22, 2008

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - San Diego State softball players Megan McDonald (Glendale, Ariz.) and Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif.) have each been honored by the Mountain West Conference, Commissioner Craig Thompson announced Tuesday. McDonald was named the MWC Co-Player of the Week, along with Brigham Young's Daniela Snow, while Ross earned pitcher-of-the-week honors.

It was McDonald's first career weekly award, and Ross' seventh selection this season and 10th of her career. Ross has now won the award seven of the 10 possible opportunities this season (SDSU was off from March 25-April 1). Ross' 10 selections leave her second on the school's all-time list, one behind Celena Velasquez (2003-06). In addition, her seven season picks are the most in a single campaign by an Aztec.

McDonald and Ross, both seniors, led SDSU to a 5-0 record last week with all five wins coming on the road. San Diego State knocked off San Diego, 3-1, on Wednesday, and then went on to sweep both New Mexico (2-0 and 4-1) and Colorado State (4-1 and 5-4).

McDonald, who went into the weekend with one homer and 12 RBI, exploded for three home runs and six RBI in five games. She led the Aztecs in batting average (.474), at-bats (19), hits (9), home runs, RBI and slugging percentage (.947). Her offensive outburst over the five contests raised her batting average from .220 to .258. McDonald also posted a perfect fielding percentage in at team-high 29 chances.

McDonald, who has hit safely in a career-long six straight games, had three hits, including the game-winning RBI in SDSU's 3-1 win over the Toreros on Wednesday. She connected on a home run in the Aztecs' 2-0 win over the Lobos on Friday and came back in the nightcap to record two hits, including a two-run homer, as San Diego State won the game, 6-4. McDonald added a solo home run and two hits in the Aztecs' 5-4 win over the Rams on Sunday.

In MWC games this season, McDonald is tied for third in the league with three home runs. In addition, she is sixth in slugging percentage (.667), seventh in total bases (20) and tied for seventh with six RBI.

A left-hander, Ross played a part in all five SDSU wins last week, posting a 4-0 record with a save in 22 1/3 innings. She allowed two earned runs, both which came on a pinch-hit two-run homer against Colorado State in the sixth inning on Sunday. Ross gave up 18 hits and four walks, while striking out 15. She tossed two complete games, one shutout and limited her opponents to a .228 batting average.

Ross earned her first win on Wednesday after pitching a perfect 3 1/3 innings of relief in SDSU's 3-1 win over San Diego. On Friday, she tossed a complete game shutout against New Mexico, allowing her first walk in 39 innings. Ross then came back in the nightcap to strike out the only batter she faced for her second save of the season. On Saturday, she gave up one unearned run over seven innings as the Aztecs downed the Rams, 4-1. Finally, Ross pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief en route to her fourth victory of the week as SDSU completed the sweep of Colorado State with a 5-4 triumph on Sunday.

This season, Ross leads the league in ERA (0.93), innings pitched (219.0), strikeouts (202) and wins (23). If the season ended today, Ross would rank among the school's single-season leaders in shutouts (T-2nd, 10), strikeouts (3rd, 202), win-loss percentage (3rd, .697) and victories (T-3rd).

The Aztecs (35-13, 7-3 MWC), who are ranked No. 19 in the latest USA Today/NFCA poll and No. 20 by ESPN.com/USA Softball, will continue their nine-game road trip with a doubleheader against co-conference leader Brigham Young beginning at 5 p.m. MT Thursday. Both games of the doubleheader can be viewed on The Mtn.