#PitcherU: A Closer Look at the NAIA’s Most Dominant Pitching Staff Since 2018

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Monday afternoon, the Sooner Athletic Conference announced that Abi Gregory had been selected as the Pitcher of the Week for her pair of spectacular performances against Central Christian College. The achievement marked the third consecutive week that Gregory earned the award, and it's the fourth time that a Drover has earned the recognition this season (Sophie Williams – Week 2).

Gregory has been sensational in her freshman campaign, compiling a record of 10-2 and a 1.88 earned run average. She has struck out 90 batters in 63.1 innings of work. 

Since the start of the 2018 season, the SAC has awarded the Pitcher of the Week award 58 times, and a USAO pitcher has won the recognition 29 times. In other words, the Drovers have earned HALF of the weekly awards since 2018.

Seven different Drovers have earned the honor, led by Emily Cerny's 20 awards. Abi Gregory has achieved the recognition three times, followed by Sophie Williams with two. Jordan Detherage (2018), Lyndie Ervin (2019), Summer Leitka (2019), and Randa Hatter (2019) each earned the award once.

As a pitching staff, Science & Arts has produced a win-loss record of 261-35 (.882). Additionally, the unit has a sensational earned run average of 1.40, along with 2,165 strikeouts in 1,882.0 innings pitched. Furthermore, the team has recorded 23 no-hitters and 103 shutouts in the last 296 games played. Pitching played a major role in earning the 2018 NAIA National Championship, as well as four NAIA national tournament appearances (no tourney in 2020 – COVID), and a pair of SAC Championships.

Emily Cerny completed the greatest career in NAIA softball history last spring, having climbed to the top of the list of nine different statistical categories. Cerny owns the record for most appearances (186), starts (158), complete games (132), wins (144), shutouts (68), innings (1,047.0), no-hitters (16), perfect games (7), and strikeouts (1,414). Cerny earned the NAIA Pitcher of the Year award three times, SAC Pitcher of the Year award five times, four-time NAIA All-American selection, five-time All-SAC selections, and she was named the 2018 NAIA Softball World Series MVP as she led the Drovers to the national championship.

Sophie Williams has delivered three no-hitters, including one perfect game since the start of last season. As a freshman in 2022, Williams earned first-team all-conference honors as well as a second-team NAIA All-American selection.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Drovers will return to action at Bill Smith Ballpark on Tuesday, March 21 as they host a double-header against No. 6 ranked Oklahoma City University. First pitch of the double-header is scheduled for 4:00 PM.

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