BOWLING GREEN, Ky.— Becoming the first player to earn the distinction twice, WKU softball's Miranda Kramer was named espnW's National Player of the Week after a beyond stellar performance in the circle last week.
Kramer tossed four complete games, notched her second no-hitter of the season, recorded two 18-strikeout performances and set the new Conference USA single-game strikeout record. She garnered her seventh C-USA Pitcher of the Week honor, tying the league record for most in a season.
To read Graham Hays' feature, visit espnW.com.
To read Graham Hays' feature, visit espnW.com.
The Iowa native was also awarded the national accolade after the season's opening weekend after Kramer did not surrender a single run, allowed just four hits and struck out 38 batters, holding her opponents to a miniscule .070 batting average in 18 innings of work. Kramer's action was highlighted by a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Troy. Her 19 strikeouts set the school record for individual and team strikeouts in a game while ranking second-most in Conference USA history. It tied for third-most in a seven-inning game in NCAA history. She was also named the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Pitcher of the Week for her efforts.
With 346 strikeouts this season, Kramer is seventh in the C-USA single-season records, as she shattered WKU's single-season mark earlier this year. The senior has 1,111 career strikeouts, the most among active players. She has not given up more than two earned runs in a game since February 13 against No. 7 Michigan and has tallied 11 games since then of allowing two hits or less. Overall, Kramer has 24 games this season with double-digit strikeouts.
After the weekend's games, Kramer is top two in the nation in five categories, including first with 346 strikeouts, 13.2 strikeouts per seven innings and 2.98 hits allowed per seven innings. The senior is second in the NCAA with a .80 ERA and 11 shutouts.
Pitching all four games last week, Kramer finished with 59 strikeouts, nine hits, one earned run and a .083 opponent batting average in 33.2 innings of work. Since the final game at FIU on April 19, Kramer threw 30.1 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed while she held Charlotte hitless through 14.2 straight innings.
Kramer broke a previous record held by Courtney Blades of Southern Miss and Monica Abbott of Tennessee on Wednesday in an extra-innings contest at No. 17 Kentucky, as Kramer struck out 18 Wildcat batters, the most in a single game by Kentucky. The previous two All-Americans struck out 17 against Kentucky in 2000 and 2007, respectively.
Kramer set a new strikeout record in league games for C-USA, striking out 18 in an 11-inning effort against Charlotte on Sunday, breaking the previous C-USA record of 17 strikeouts.
Tossing her second no-hitter in 2015, Kramer's performance against the 49ers on Saturday was the ninth no-hitter in school history and fourth under second-year head coach Amy Tudor, as Kramer is the first pitcher at WKU to ever record two no-hitters in a season and career.
Kramer and the Lady Toppers (29-10, 14-4) finish its final week of regular-season action, starting with a game at Louisville on Wednesday at 5 p.m. CT. The team then heads to Murfreesboro for a three-game series at Middle Tennessee beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT.
