SAN MATEO, Calif. — Saint Mary's softball had some great pitching performances over the weekend from Odhi Vasquez, and after capping her week off in a special fashion, it put the league on notice. Announced on Monday afternoon by the conference, Vasquez is this week's West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Week for the first time in her career.
 
The freshman pitcher turned in a great week for Saint Mary's, pitching in all three wins that the Gaels had. She went 2-0 with a 1.94 earned run average across 18 innings, while striking out 21. She began the week by tossing 6.1 innings and allowing just one earned run in a road win against California Baptist, and then capped off the week with one of her best starts. She tossed a complete game in a win over Pacific, allowing just one earned run while striking out a career-best 14.
 
That performance in the circle is historically significant for the Gaels, as it sets the single-game program record for the most strikeouts in a single game. It eclipses the previous record of 13, set by Katie Moss in 2017.
 
Vasquez becomes the first Gaels pitcher to win the Pitcher of the Week award from the conference since Sofia Earle last season. She is the second Gael to win a weekly conference award this season, joining Hannah Ferguson, who was named the Player of the Week on April 17.
 
Saint Mary's will take a brief hiatus from West Coast Conference play this week and play a pair of non-conference doubleheaders. First up is a trip to the valley to play Fresno State on Tuesday, starting at 3:30 pm. Saint Mary's will then return home where they will square off against Sacramento State in a home doubleheader on Friday, May 5 starting at 1:00 pm. Those two home games serve as Faculty Appreciation Day at Cottrell Field.