Steindorf's 14 Strikeouts Lead to NWC Baseball Pitching Honor

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Matt Steindorf (Jr., RHP, Granite Bay, CA/Granite Bay HS) of Willamette University has been chosen as the Northwest Conference Baseball Pitcher Student-Athlete of the Week for the week ending on Feb. 25. Stiendorf pitched the first nine innings in Willamette's 2-1, 10-inning victory over Pacific University on Feb. 24. The win opened a three-game NWC series that ended with Willamette prevailing over the Boxers two games to one.

Against Pacific, Steindorf piled up a career-high 14 strikeouts and allowed just two hits, while limiting the Boxers to a 0.67 team batting average. His 14 strikeouts are the most by a Willamette pitcher in the last 12 years and perhaps longer. He held Pacific scoreless until the Boxers recorded their only run in the ninth inning. He gave up just one walk and hit one batter, while improving to 3-1 on the season.

"Matt was dominant on Saturday," Willamette Head Coach Aaron Swick said. "At one point, he retired 19 straight hitters. He's not normally a strikeout pitcher, but his 14 strikeouts are proof that he had command of alll his pitches."

It was the second consecutive game in which Steindorf pitched into the ninth inning of a game won by the Bearcats. On Feb. 17, Steindorf threw 8 2/3 innings and allowed three runs -- two earned -- in Willamette's 5-3 win over defending NWC champion Linfield College. Linfield scored only an unearned run in the first eight innings.

For the season, Steindorf has registered a 1.82 earned run average in 29 2/3 innings pitched. He leads Willamette with 24 strikeouts and has walked just four batters.