April 26, 2005
LAS VEGAS - Thus far, one thing holds true for UNLV softball this season. When Jacque Kerrigan is tabbed as the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Week, a teammate wins the Player of the Week award, as well. Kerrigan was named the pitcher of the week and Marissa Nichols took the player's honor. Nichols has been selected six times in 2005. Kerrigan has been chosen four times this year and eight total in her career. Nichols, a freshman, has six selections on the year, which is the most ever recorded by a Rebel in a single season or a career.
Nichols helped UNLV to a 3-1 record on the road this past weekend in a doubleheader sweep of Utah and a split in the set at BYU. Nichols started the weekend off right, with a solo home run to open game one against the Utes. She went 1-for-3 in the game and recorded one RBI, while crossing the plate twice in the 6-2 win. In game two, she kept up her power surge with a three-run home run to break a scoreless tie in the sixth inning. She went 2-for-4 in the game with four RBI and two runs scored. She brought home her fourth run of the game with an RBI-single in the seventh. In the first game against BYU, she had two hits in four at-bats. Both hits moved runners into scoring position that would eventually score in the next at-bat. She scored a run, as well in the 5-0 shutout of the Cougars. She closed out the weekend with a 1-for-3 performance in the final game at BYU. She extended her single-season record of most stolen bases to 27 with a theft at Utah and BYU.
Kerrigan went 2-0 in three appearances last weekend, including a complete-game shutout of first-place BYU, the top scoring team in the MWC and No. 7 scoring team in the nation. She began the week with a complete game victory in the Rebels' 6-2 win over Utah. In seven innings in the circle, she struck out five, while giving up 10 hits and three walks. In the first contest at BYU, she held one of the nation's top offenses to just three hits, while striking out four and not allowing a walk until the seventh inning. She held BYU's top-four hitters to a .166 batting average in the game, while allowing only two base runners to pass second base. Kerrigan appeared in relief in game two, as she tossed the final two innings. She held the Cougars hitless and scoreless in her effort. On the week, Kerrigan had an ERA of 0.88, while striking out 10 batters and giving up 13 hits in 16.0 innings of work.
With the selection Kerrigan surpasses Amie Stewart (1994) and Lori Harrigan (1989) as the only pitcher in UNLV history to be honored four times in a single season. Stewart and Harrigan both won the award three times in their years as Rebels.
