Kirby Named ASUN Pitcher of the Week
4/19/2021 12:00:00 AM | Softball
After tossing a pair of shutouts last week, Liberty junior Emily Kirby has been named ASUN Softball Pitcher of the Week.
A native of Greenville, N.C., Kirby receives her second career pitcher of the week honor, as she was also honored on March 22. She is the first Lady Flame since Julia DiMartino to be named ASUN Pitcher of the Week. DiMartino received the honor three times in 2019.
Kirby was nearly unhittable during a 3-0 series sweep at Lipscomb, going 2-0 with two shutouts, a 0.00 ERA, 17 strikeouts, three walks, six hits allowed and a .125 opponents batting average in 14 innings of work.
She extended her shutout innings streak to 20 innings in a row and has now tossed an ASUN-best six shutouts this season, including three in conference play. Kirby is 4-1 with a 0.93 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings pitched in ASUN games this season. She leads the ASUN with 9.1 strikeouts per seven innings in league play.
On Saturday, she opened the series with 10 strikeouts in a three-hit shutout as Liberty downed Lipscomb 2-0. It was her third 10-strikeout game this season and second in ASUN play. She retired the first nine batters she faced, including five strikeouts.
During Sunday's series finale, she tossed four 1-2-3 innings during a three-hit shutout in which she struck out seven batters. The Lady Flames won 4-0, their fifth straight ASUN shutout and second ASUN series this season allowing no runs.
The Lady Flames (29-12, 10-2 ASUN), winners of eight straight games, begin a five-game homestand on Wednesday against Virginia at 4 p.m. at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
