Ramirez and Zinanti named MWC Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week

COLORADO SPRINGS -- BYU junior first baseman Andrea Ramirez and junior righthander Christie Zinanti have been named Mountain West Conference Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively.

“Both Christie and Andrea have continued to play well,” BYU head coach Gordon Eakin said. “Andrea has been great at the plate and has been in the middle of a lot of our runs, while Christie continues to dominate in the circle.”

Ramirez, who hails from Simi Valley, Calif., batted .583 with a double and a triple totaling two RBI during four games last week. The junior went 6-for-8 against the MWC-leading San Diego State pitching staff. She launched a triple in the Cougars' first game in San Diego, bringing in one run. In BYU's 2-1, nine-inning win, Ramirez scored the first run after walking to reach base in the second inning, going 2-for-2 with a walk. She concluded the series going 2-for-3 and knocked in the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning to help the Cougars' clinch the MWC title.

Zinanti, a native of Pueblo, Colo., receives her second consecutive weekly award for her appearances in both games of BYU's doubleheader at San Diego State on Saturday. She earned her 50th career victory in game one of the twinbill after throwing 2.2 innings of relief. In game two of the doubleheader, she pitched 4.2 scoreless innings, holding the Aztecs to three hits and striking out two.

Over three appearances on the week, the junior righthander earned a 1-0 record, allowing three runs off of 10 hits over 14 innings. She struck out 13 batters total to give her 422 in her collegiate career to break the school's all-time strikeout record of 419, set by Christina Gwyn-Trice last year.