Spartan Named NIIC Player of the Week

AURORA, Ill. April 5, 2005 - Aurora University softball player Taylor Petersen (Aurora, Ill./West Aurora HS) was named Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference Softball Player of the Week for the third time this season.

For the week in which the Spartans opened the Northern Illinois-Iowa Conference portion of their schedule, Petersen led AU to a 5-0-1 record, 2-0 in the NIIC. Petersen entered the Spartan Softball record book, becoming the career record holder for strikeouts with 272, breaking the old mark of 261 and is tied for career shutouts with 17.

In six games played on the week, Petersen was 3-0 with a save, while continuing her streak of not allowing an earned run in 61-1/3 innings pitched. In 22-1/3 innings pitched on the week, she had 32 strikeouts, one walk, and allowed her first runs against (three), all of which were unearned. At the plate, Petersen hit .421 (8-for-19) including two home runs, three runs batted in, and six runs scored.

In the Spartan win against Rockford College on April 2, 2005, Petersen was at her best, striking out a season- and AU career-high 14 hitters and allowed two hits and no runs in the 2-0 victory. At the plate in the contest, she was three for four with a home run.

On the year, Petersen is 10-0 with a save, 96 strikeouts in 61-1/3 innings pitched, and six shutouts. Offensively, she is hitting .377 with three home runs, two triples, two doubles, 20 runs scored, 12 runs batted in, and a .660 slugging percentage.

Next action for the softball team comes on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, when they host Eureka College at the Fox Valley Park District Stuart Sports Complex in a double header beginning at 5:00 p.m. The contest is the Spartans NIIC home opener.

-END-