TUCSON, Ariz. – Junior right-hander
Cody Deason was named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week on Monday following a dominant start against No. 7 UCLA.
The Ojai, California native was also named a Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week for his performance against the Bruins.
Deason tossed his first career shutout Thursday against the seventh-ranked Bruins. He allowed just five hits over nine dominant innings, walking one and striking out a career-high 11. He improved to 5-4 on the season and lowered his season ERA to 2.36.
Deason stymied a Bruins team that entered the series with the Wildcats on an eight-game winning streak, averaging more than 10 runs per game during that span. Deason allowed just one Bruin to reach third base. UCLA's biggest threat against Deason came in the sixth inning, but the right-hander escaped any damage.
UCLA's Jeremy Ydens singled to shortstop to lead off the inning, and then moved to third on a one-out single from Chase Strumpf. But Deason struck out cleanup hitter Michael Toglia for the third time and then got designated hitter Jack Stronach to ground out for the final out of the inning.
Deason then worked perfect innings in the seventh and eighth. The Bruins had two men reach in the ninth with one out, but a fly out and a ground out ended the inning and secured the shutout for Deason.
It was the first time an Arizona pitcher threw a shutout since
JC Cloney blanked Coastal Carolina in Game 1 of the 2016 College World Series Finals. It was Arizona's first shutout of a conference opponent since a 3-0 win over California on April 22, 2016. It also marked Arizona's first complete game since
Cameron Ming went the distance against Arizona State last year, giving up just one run.
It's Arizona First Pitcher of the Week since Nathan Bannister won it on April 25, 2016 after his shutout of Cal for his second honor of the season. Prior to that, Arizona hadn't had a pitcher recognized by the league since James Farris in 2013.