April 12, 2010
SAN BRUNO, Calif. - The West Coast Conference named Santa Clara University senior Alex Rivers `Pitcher of the Week' for April 5 through 11. Rivers threw a three-hit complete game shutout against Pepperdine Saturday night. He fanned nine, faced just five over the minimum and retired 10-straight at one point.
The performance was important for SCU, allowing the Broncos to avoid an 0-5 start in WCC play. Rivers improved to 3-4 and lowered his season ERA to 4.02. It was his second complete game shutout of the year.
It marks the second 'Pitcher of the Week' award for Rivers during his outstanding career at Santa Clara. A 2006 graduate of Tokay High School in Lodi, California, Rivers was named to the WCC All-Freshman Team in 2007. Rivers owns 195 career strikeouts.
Matt Bywater, Pepperdine's left-handed ace, was also honored as a 'Pitcher of the Week' by the WCC. Bywater pitched his second consecutive complete game shutout and his third of the season Friday night in Pepperdine's 8-0 win at SCU. Bywater tied a season high with 10 strikeouts while issuing four hits and three bases on balls.
Chris Engell, USD's senior shortstop, was named the 'Player of the Week.' Engell led the Toreros to a series sweep of LMU this past weekend and an overall record of 3-2. Engell went 10-for-20 with a double, a triple and had 7 RBI. Engell hit the walk-off RBI single in the LMU game to cape a Torero comeback and lift USD to the series sweep over the Lions. In the series opening win over LMU, Engell had an impressive day at the plate as he went 4-for-6 with two RBI. In the loss to No. 1 Arizona State on Tuesday, Engell jump started the Toreros offense as he pushed across three runs on a double in the second inning to spark a five-run Torero inning. In that same game, Engell finished the day with a 2-for-3 performance and three RBI against the top-ranked team in the nation.
