April 18, 2011
COLLEGE STATION, Texas - For the second time this season, Texas A&M junior pitcher Ross Stripling has been honored as Phillips 66 Big 12 Pitcher of the Week as Monday he was selected by a panel of media covering the league.
Joining Stripling on the list of weekly Big 12 awards were Oklahoma's Tyler Ogle (Player of the Week) and Oklahoma State's Zach Johnson (Newcomer of the Week)
Stripling's first career complete game, a four-hitter, proved to be the driving force behind the Aggie's 2-1 victory over Baylor in Sunday's rubber match. The win gave Texas A&M its fifth consecutive series victory to begin Big 12 play and was Stripling's team-leading seventh on the mound.
After the first two batters of the game hit safely off Stripling to give Baylor a 1-0 lead, the Aggie right-hander settled into a groove. Beginning with final batter of the third inning, the Southlake, Texas, native retired 15 consecutive batters and 19 of the game's final 20 hitters, putting up 1-2-3 frames in the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and ninth innings.
With the Aggie offense being held at bay, it was Stripling who kept Texas A&M in the game until a few key late hits put two A&M runs on the scoreboard. Stripling notched eight punch outs while walking only two in the 116-pitch effort.
This season, Stripling owns a 7-2 record on the mound with a 2.62 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 55 innings pitched. The right-hander has also racked up three saves while limiting opponents to just 10 walks and a .220 batting average.
Stripling becomes the eighth Aggie pitcher to earn the award more than once in a single season. He was also recognized as the league's Pitcher of the Week on March 21 after earning a pair of victories over nationally-ranked opponents Cal State Fullerton and Oklahoma.