BROOKLYN, N.Y. - For the third consecutive week, LIU Brooklyn softball freshman Elena Valenzuela was named the Northeast Conference Pitcher and Co-Rookie of the Week, it was announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon. Besides being her third straight honors in both categories for the pitcher, it marks the fourth week this season a Blackbirds (13-8) pitcher has won the award this season.

Valenzuela (7-2) bounced back from a rough Saturday with a tremendous start on Sunday, her fourth shutout of the season, pitching perfect eighth inning to get her seventh win of the season against 17-8 Florida International. The freshman gave up only four hits and walked two batters in eight innings of work, while tying her season-high with five strikeouts in the 1-0 win. She went 2-1 on the week, beginning with a 5.1 inning outing in a win against Florida A&M. For the week, she went 15.2 innings, giving up six earned runs and had 5 strikeouts for the Blackbirds. On the season, the California native has a 1.58 earned run average to lead the Northeast Conference and her four shutouts to date ranks sixth in the National rankings.

Up next, the Blackbirds head to Clearwater for the USF Tournament, hosted by South Florida from March 15-17, with the first matchup against FGCU on Friday (4:45 p.m.).