Rachel GarciaRachel Garcia
Don Liebig/ASUCLA Photography

Redshirt sophomore Rachel Garcia has four National Player of the Week awards this season.

Garcia Recognized With Two National POW Awards

Softball

Garcia was named NFCA National Pitcher of the Week and USA Softball Player of the Week.


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Redshirt sophomore Rachel Garcia picked up two national awards on Tuesday, as for the second time this season she earned NFCA (Pitcher of the Week) and USA Softball (Player of the Week) accolades.

Garcia, who on Monday became the third player in Pac-10/12 history to be named conference Player and Pitcher of the Week in the same week, recorded her first NFCA National Pitcher of the Week award and second NFCA National nod of the season (Feb. 27 - Player NPOW), and the 25th in UCLA history. Her USA Softball National POW award is her second of the season (Feb. 27), third of her career (April 11, 2017) and 18th in program history.

At the plate and in the circle, Garcia helped the Bruins to three wins at then-#11 Arizona, going 6-for-7 (.857) with three home runs and seven runs batted in, as well as 2-0 with a 1.24 earned run average and 20 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.
 
In game one on Friday (April 13), Garcia went 2-for-2 with two walks and three RBI, posting her first-ever, two-homer game. She hit a solo homer in her first at-bat (second inning) and a two-run shot in the sixth to give the Bruins the lead for good. In the circle, Garcia tossed four innings of relief, striking out five and giving up two runs and five hits.
 
On Saturday (April 14), Garcia picked up the victory in the circle, striking out six in three innings of shutout relief. She allowed just one hit. At the plate, she had three hits, including an RBI single. In the series finale on Sunday (April 15), Garcia struck out nine in 4 1/3 frames of shutout relief to earn another victory, giving up only two hits. With the bat, she hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and after doing so, was walked her next three times, including twice intentionally.

The Bruins, now ranked third in both national polls, open up a three-game home series against #1 Washington on Friday at 5 p.m. at Easton Stadium. The game will air on Pac-12 Networks.