Duo Helped UE To 5-0 Start
 LOUIS – After leading the University of Evansville softball team to a perfect 5-0 record to open the 2022 season, Izzy Vetter and Sydney Weatherford were recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference on Tuesday. Vetter was named the MVC Pitcher of the Week while Weatherford opened her career as the league’s Newcomer of the Week.
“Congratulations to Izzy and Sydney. Izzy came out on fire this season in the circle. She was in total control this weekend of her pitches and really dominated,†UE head softball coach Mat Mundell said. “Sydney got off to an amazing start to her career both in the circle and at the plate. We hoped that she would be able to come in and help us in both areas and she really did that in week one.â€
“It was such a great team weekend all-around on the diamond and was really neat to see both a senior and freshman lead this team opening weekend. It gives our program some real excitement for the year.â€
Izzy Vetter could not have had a better start to her season in the Best on the Bayou Classic. The senior picked up a no-hitter, three victories, 30 strikeouts and did not allow a single earned run over the course of 17 innings pitched. Taking on defending Southland Conference regular season champion Stephen F. Austin in the opener, Vetter threw a complete game 1-hitter and struck out 10.
Vetter came close to perfection on Saturday against Mississippi Valley State, tossing the second no-hitter of her career. In five frames in the circle, Vetter struck out 11 batters and allowed just one baserunner. She capped off the weekend with win #3 over SIU Edwardsville. In five innings, she struck out nine batters and allowed three unearned runs.
In her first weekend of collegiate action, Sydney Weatherford made an impact at the plate and in the circle. Offensively, Weatherford batted .400 with an unreal three triples, a home run, 10 RBI and four runs scored. After going 2-8 in Friday’s doubleheader, Weatherford came through in a big way in the final three games, combining to go 6-for-12 with 10 RBI. Against Southern, she had a triple and three RBI before adding two more RBI, a triple and homer against Mississippi Valley State.
Weatherford added triple #3 on Sunday along with five runs batted in. On the pitching side, she threw seven scoreless innings on Friday against Morehead State and fanned six batters while allowing just four hits. Her efforts helped UE earn the win in nine innings. On Saturday, she picked up the first win of her career against Southern. She gave up three unearned runs in 3 2/3 innings. For the week, she did not allow an earned run over the course of 10 2/3 innings while allowing nine hits and striking out nine betters.
