Valparaiso University junior pitcher Ashlyn Montgomery (Lebanon, Ind./Lebanon) has been tabbed the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending March 12 following a number of strong performances in the circle last week, including one of the best efforts of the season against a top-10 Alabama squad.

Montgomery opened the week by drawing the starting assignment against #9/11 Alabama in Tuscaloosa and delivered one of the top outings of her career. The junior limited the Crimson Tide to just four hits and one run, blanking Alabama over the final five innings of a hard-luck 1-0 loss. Alabama entered the game hitting .336 and averaging nearly six runs per game, and went on to score 18 runs in a three-game sweep of #24 Arkansas in SEC play his weekend.

Montgomery went on to have a stellar weekend at the Leon Smith Classic in Oxford, Ala., allowing just two earned runs over four games. She had a four-out scoreless relief outing March 10 against Belmont before surrendering just one earned run apiece in wins over SE Missouri State and Eastern Illinois – the latter a complete-game six-hitter. Montgomery closed the weekend by registering the final five outs in succession to earn a save in Valpo’s win over Alabama State.

For the week, Montgomery went 1-1 with one save in five appearances, posting a sterling 1.11 ERA while allowing batters to hit just .229 against her – including just two extra-base hits. She has lowered her season ERA to 1.75 while appearing in 12 of Valpo’s first 14 games this season.