NORFOLK, Va. – Junior pitcher Hunter Halford tied the Norfolk State softball record for strikeouts in a game over the weekend. She was rewarded when she was named the MEAC Co-Pitcher of the Week on Monday by the conference office.
 
Halford gave up just one hit in seven innings of work in NSU's 7-0 win over Maryland Eastern Shore in game 1 of a doubleheader on Saturday. She also struck out 12 to tie the school record accomplished six other times over the years. Halford became just the third pitcher in NSU's Division I era to accomplish the feat as well.
 
In the second game of the doubleheader at the Henry S. Parker Athletic Complex in Salisbury, Maryland, Halford recorded the last two outs to preserve a 2-1 win. The Jacksonville, North Carolina native earned the save after getting a groundout and flyout with the tying run on second base in the bottom of the eighth.
 
She helped the Spartans sweep the three-game series from Maryland Eastern Shore that improved NSU's record to 5-4 in the league and 15-20 overall.
 
On the year, Halford owns a 4-8 record with a team-best 3.04 ERA in 73.2 innings of work. She has struck out 47 and given up just eight walks during that time. It marked her second weekly honor this season after also being named MEAC Co-Player of the Week last week.
 
Halford shared this week's MEAC Co-Pitcher of the Week award with Kyaira Brown of Florida A&M.
 
NSU will host Morgan State this weekend for its next conference series of the year.