OKLAHOMA CITY — Arizona senior infielder Mo Mercado (Temecula, Calif.) has been selected as the Week 3 USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week, USA Softball announced today. Backed behind her .846 (11-for-13) batting average while driving in a team-high 11 runs and scoring six of her own, Mercado’s performance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic proved to be a solid force behind Arizona’s offensive power at the tournament.
“This past weekend’s performance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic was a very exciting weekend for the group that we have this year,” said Mercado. “From freshmen to seniors, we had multiple people step up and contribute in big moments. I am thankful and honored to receive the acknowledgements that I did from USA Softball and NFCA. But overall, I am super excited and proud of the way our entire team performed as a whole, and I can’t wait to see how we continue to multiply as the season continues.”
With multiple hits in each of Arizona’s five games over the weekend, including a three-hit effort in the Wildcats’ 21-2 victory of LIU Brooklyn, the Pac-12 Player of the Week honoree boasted three doubles and a home run. As a result of her effort, Mercado helped herself to a 1.308 slugging percentage, while also drawing three walks for an .875 on-base percentage over 16 plate appearances. Among the list of highlights, the Southern California native hit Arizona’s first grand slam of the year in their game versus Purdue.
Over the course of the weekend, Arizona claimed wins over Louisville, BYU, Purdue, and LIU Brooklyn, while dropping a close 1-0 decision to then-No. 1 Florida State. Arizona finished the Cathedral City tournament with a 4-1 record and outscored their opponents 48-7.
“Mo Mercado works very hard at the game and her preparation and mindset all paid off this past weekend,” said Arizona Head Coach, Mike Candrea. “I am so proud of the way Mo approached this weekend, and it was fun to watch her outstanding performance.”
Up next, the Wildcats will return home for a three-game series with Texas this weekend, with the first game against the Longhorns scheduled for 6 p.m. MT Friday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
2017 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 9-12): Sierra Hyland – Cal Poly – Senior – Pitcher – Visalia, Calif.
Week 2 (Feb. 13-19): Alyssa Denham – Louisiana – Freshman – Pitcher – Alvin, Texas
Week 3 (Feb. 20-26): Mo Mercado – Arizona – Senior – Infield – Temecula, Calif.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 70 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 150,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2 million. USA Softball is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch. USA Softball annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships. The USA Softball umpire program is among the nation’s largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.
As the NGB for the sport of softball, USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USA Softball, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit, www.USASoftball.com.
About the NCAA Women’s College World Series
ASA Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Energy Field serves as the home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS). For the 27th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and compete for a national championship. Last year, over 78,000 fans attended the WCWS. Be there to Share The Experience with softball fans from across the country June 1-7 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2017 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and secure your championship experience!