FROM CBB NEWS SOURCES
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Longhorns’ junior pitcher Kenn Kasparek garnered Louisville Slugger’s National Pitcher of the Week Award from Collegiate Baseball and Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week award on Monday to cap off his epic week.
The northpaw threw 17.0 shutout innings on the week, allowing just three hits as opponents batted a miniscule .057 in the two games. Showing outstanding command on the week, Kasparek fanned 18 batters while walking one and hitting two batters.
Last Tuesday, Kasparek crafted the 20th no-hitter in school history in an 11-0 triumph over the Texas State Bobcats, facing the minimum 27 hitters for the first-time in school annals. He hit one batter in the game, but induced a double play from the next batter. He logged nine strikeouts, including catching the last two Bobcats looking.
He bounced back five days later to pitch eight scoreless innings on three hits and one walk in a 2-0 win over Baylor. He posted nine strikeouts for the second consecutive game and helped the Longhorns record their second shutout in four contests after notching just one in the first 44 outings.
Kasparek became the first Texas pitcher to collect pitcher of the week recognition from Collegiate Baseball since April 19, 2005 when Adrian Alaniz earned the honor following his no-hitter against Oklahoma on April 16.
The 6-10 hurler also snapped UT’s drought for earning Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference weekly award recognition in 2008.
Kasparek owns a 4-3 record with a 3.70 ERA on the season. He has 62 strikeouts and is holding opponents to a .206 batting average in 58.1 innings.
One of the hottest pitchers in the country over the last two weeks, Kasparek is 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA his last three starts. In the three outings, Kasparek has allowed just one run on five hits and four walks while striking out 25 over 22 innings. He currently owns a streak of 21.2 scoreless innings with the last run allowed coming in the first inning of his mid-week game against Baylor on April 22.
