WACO, Texas – Senior pitcher Alex Brake was named the Heartland Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week for week one as announced by the Heartland Conference on Tuesday (Feb. 6).
 
Brake, a senior from Joplin, Mo., totaled two appearances and tossed 8.0 scoreless innings to help the Hillcats pick up a pair of wins as the navy and red went 3-1 during the opening weekend at the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament. The senior pitched a complete game three-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Southwest Baptist on Sunday morning, totaling three strikeouts in seven innings in the victory. Brake also pitched one inning in relief on Saturday in a 15-2 win over Missouri S&T.
 
Brake earned the player of the week honor for the first time in the only chance in her career in the navy and red. The senior is in her first season at RSU.
 
RSU started the 2018 campaign with a 3-1 weekend in Arkansas. The Cats defeated Missouri S&T, Henderson State and Southwest Baptist to open 3-0, but fell to No. 10 Southern Arkansas in the final game of the Ronnie Hawkins Tournament.
 
The Hillcats are back in action at the UCO Festival this weekend in Edmond, Okla.