University of Houston Athletics
Gaber Named USA Softball National Player of the Week
2/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 22, 2011
HOUSTON - University of Houston sophomore Reina Gaber has been named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 14-20 by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA).
The sophomore from Whitter, Calif., was the definition of clutch as she capitalized on two pinch-hit performances to lead Houston (8-1) to two wins over then-No. 16 LSU, which helped the Cougars to their first ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking of the year. They entered the poll Tuesday morning at No. 23.
Facing LSU for the first time in the Hilton Houston Plaza Classic on Saturday, Gaber was called upon to pinch hit in the bottom of the sixth inning. She capped off the Cougars' battle to overcome a 4-0 deficit when her long sacrifice fly to center field knocked in a run to tie the game 4-4, eventually sending the contest into extra innings. Houston went on to win 5-4 in eight.
"People around the game notice how difficult of a job that is to be the pinch hitter or designated player," head coach Kyla Holas said. "To handle that pressure and perform at that level consistently is very difficult. I'm glad to see people are recognizing her for that."
When asked to pinch hit again when the Cougars played LSU in the Classic's finale on Sunday, Gaber shook off the pressure and produced for her team for a second time. With sophomore Ashleigh Jones on third in the bottom of the eighth, Gaber drilled a single to bring Jones home and bust up the no-hitter LSU starter Rachele Fico had kept alive for nearly eight innings. Her walk-off single gave Houston the 1-0 victory.
"I'm in shock, but really proud," Gaber said. "I couldn't do the things I do without my team. If my team hadn't held off LSU and kept it at 0-0 all game, then I never would've had the chance to get that hit so it's a total team effort. I hope that this is just one of many awards that brings out program recognition. We beat three ranked teams this weekend and we just want to work on getting better."
Gaber also posted a flawless 2-for-2 effort against Southern, collecting an RBI and a walk in the process to bring her weekend total to 3-for-4 with three RBI. The returning All-Conference USA member is hitting at a .500 clip as the Cougars head into a doubleheader against Sam Houston State Wednesday night.
This is the first-time honor for Gaber, and the Cougars' first USA Softball National Player of the Week award since Kristen Glowacz captured Co-Player of the Week honors on Mar. 9, 2005.
About ASA
The Amateur Softball Association, founded in 1933, is the National Governing Body of softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. The ASA has become one of the nation's largest sports organizations and now sanctions competition in every state through a network of 76 local associations. The ASA has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 210,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than three million. For more information on the ASA, visit ASASoftball.com.
About USA Softball
USA Softball is the brand created, operated and owned by the ASA that links the USA Men's, Women's, Junior Boys' and Junior Girls' National Team programs together. USA Softball is responsible for training, equipping and promoting these four National Teams to compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women's National Team is one of the only two women's sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles including the last seven consecutive as well as claimed four World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about USA Softball, please visit USASoftball.com.
