UC Santa Barbara sophomore Shelby Wisdom (Elk Grove, Calif./Elk Grove HS), the Most Valuable Player of the Mardi Gras Classic, captured Big West Softball Field Player of the Week honors for her solid performance at the plate in the Gauchos’ opening weekend.
Wisdom hit safely in all five tournament games ? all Gaucho victories ? and batted
.389 with three runs scored and seven RBI.
She posted three multi-RBI games, including in Thursday’s season-opening 6-0 win against Grambling State. Wisdom went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and scored the game-winning run.
The designated player returned on Friday to drive in two more runs in a 7-1 victory against Wichita State and a single run in a 6-1 triumph over Louisiana-Monroe. Wisdom picked up a hit to start out play in Saturday’s 5-0 shutout of Northwestern State and concluded the tournament with a 2-for-3 effort, driving in a pair of runs on her first homer of the year in a 6-3 win against Mississippi Valley State.
Wisdom also excelled in the circle as UC Santa Barbara’s ace pitcher. She threw 17.1 innings of scoreless ball, posting a 3-0 record with 20 strikeouts.
UCSB opens its 2013 home schedule on Friday when it begins play in the three-day Gaucho Classic I. The tournament will feature the likes of Mizzou, Fresno State and San Diego. The Gauchos will open tournament play against Mizzou at 8:30 a.m. on Friday.
