Donnenwirth named Pac-10 Player of the Week

Arizona State freshman third-baseman Krista Donnenwirth has been named the Pac-10 Softball Player of the Week for April 15-21, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Donnenwirth, a Mission Viejo, Calif. native, went three-for-five over the weekend and crushed two home runs, in a crucial sweep of rival No. 10/7 Arizona.

Donnenwirth made the difference in ASU's 9-8 come-from-behind win over Arizona with two home runs with two runs scored and three RBIs. Her intentional walk in the seventh put the tying run at the plate and her flawless glove-work at third kept ASU in all four games as she compiled 10 assists and two put outs for a perfect 1.000 fielding average.

In Sunday's matchup of the two desert powers, Arizona took the lead early on a Sam Bannister three-run home run in the first inning, but the Sun Devils answered in the bottom of the inning, plating two. Donnenwirth gave the Sun Devils the 4-3 lead in the third as she hit a two-run bomb way over the right-center field fence.

Arizona cut the lead down to one in the fourth, taking advantage of an ASU error, but Donnenwirth again took the run right back as she crushed a 1-2 pitch from Mowatt so deep into left center it nearly hit another ASU facility over 80 feet past the outfield wall to put the score at 6-4.

The Wildcats rallied for three runs in the seventh thanks to a Lanie Roth homerun, taking an 8-6 lead heading into the final half-inning. Respecting what Donnenwirth had done to them on the afternoon, the Wildcats intentionally walked the hot hitter, but it would come to no avail as Lesley Rogers laced an RBI single and Kristen Miller drove in the deciding two runs with a walk-off double.

No. 1/2 Arizona State hosts the Oregon schools this week, starting with the Beavers on Fri., April 25 and continuing with the Ducks for two on Sat., April 26 and Sun., April 27.

This is the first Player of the Week honor for Donnenwirth in her career. The accolade is the 56th for the Arizona State softball team.