Alabama’s Alexis Osorio Named Finalist for USA Softball Player of the Year
Junior pitcher Alexis Osorio is one of 34 finalists for this year’s USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, the organization announced Wednesday.
Osorio, a Riverside, Calif., native, leads the SEC and is ranked fourth nationally with 217 strikeouts so far this season, an average of 1.7-per-inning, owning an 18-4 record and 1.12 ERA. She has thrown seven shutouts, helping lead the pitching staff to its highest shutout total in six years (22) and putting it just four shy of the single-season school record. In her first start of the 2017 season, she threw the fourth perfect game in program history with a school-record 19 strikeouts. In addition to her perfect game, she has pitched in two combined no-hitters this year and has posted double-digit strikeouts in 10 games.
Osorio is one of eight juniors on the list and one of 14 pitchers. She has made the Top 50 Watch List each of the last two seasons but this is her first appearance as a Player of the Year finalist. In 2015, she was one of three finalists for the NFCA Freshman of the Year award, earning Second Team All-America honors that season.
Just prior to the start of postseason play, the list will be narrowed to the top-10 finalists on May 10. From there, three finalists will be announced on May 24 with the eventual winner being presented the award at the Women’s College World Series team banquet in Oklahoma City on May 30.