LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – Slippery Rock University softball freshmen
Rachel Baker and
Maddie Cavenaugh swept the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division Athlete of the Week honors as Baker was named the Pitcher of the Week and Cavenaugh was selected as the Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.
Baker and Cavenaugh become the first Rock duo to sweep the PSAC weekly awards since Camie Shumaker and Becca Roesch achieved the feat as freshmen in 2018.
This is the second week in a row that Cavenaugh earned the PSAC West Athlete of the Week award, marking the first Rock player to earn consecutive PSAC West weekly awards since Kelsi Anderson in 2022 and the first freshman to do so since Shumaker in 2018.
With her PSAC West Pitcher of the Week award, Baker becomes the first Rock freshman to win the award since 2018, when Shumaker took home the honors.
In the circle, Baker finished the week with a 2-0 record in two starts, throwing 11 innings and giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits and nine walks, while striking out 12 batters for a 2.55 ERA. Opponents hit only .146 against Baker in her two starts last week.
On the offensive end, Cavenaugh hit .400 (6-for-15) with five RBIs and five runs in four games played. Two of Cavenaugh's six hits were home runs, leading her to finish the week with a .438 on-base percentage and an .800 slugging percentage.
On the campaign, Cavenaugh is hitting .448 (13-of-29) with 12 RBIs and 11 runs. The Bridgeville, Pennsylvania native has a .452 on-base percentage and an .862 slugging percentage in eight games this season. In four starts in the circle in 2026, Baker is 4-0 with a 1.52 ERA in 23 innings pitched. The Canal Fulton, Ohio native has surrendered just 13 hits and walked 17 hitters, while striking out 24 batters. Opponents have just a .160 batting average against Baker this season.
The Rock sit with a 5-3 record after their annual trip to Florida, their best eight-game start since the 2018 campaign.
Slippery Rock is scheduled to open its home slate with a doubleheader against Lock Haven University Wednesday at Kasneivch Field. First pitch versus the Bald Eagles is scheduled for 2 p.m. SRU is also scheduled to play four games at the MEC/PSAC Crossover Saturday and Sunday.
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