BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn softball freshman Elena Valenzuela was named the Northeast Conference Co-Pitcher and Rookie of the Week, it was announced by the league office Tuesday afternoon. It marks the fourth time this season the freshman hurler has earned the league honor.

The freshman right-hander was unflappable in her first weekend of Northeast Conference play, throwing two complete seven-inning games, without giving up an earned run. First she threw her  NEC leading sixth complete game shutout of the season, allowing only five hits and no walks in 7.0 innings with two strikeouts. A day later against FDU, the Whittier, California native started game one, going seven full to earn her conference-high 11th win and ninth complete game, yielding only five hits, one walk, one run (unearned) and had four strikeouts in the victory.

Having appeared in three of the four games this weekend and not yielding a run, Valenzuela has now thrown 15 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run (Her season high is 21 scoreless innings earlier this season), since the beginning of the week when she started vs. St. John's last Wednesday, going only 2.0 innings, giving up four earned runs.

In three NEC games this week, she was 2-0, 0.00 ERA in 15 innings with seven strikeouts, holding opponents to a .182 batting average. On the week, she was 2-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 17 innings and for the season she's 11-3 with a 1.93 ERA.

The Blackbirds are set to for four straight home NEC doubleheaders, beginning Saturday, April 13, when they host Mount St. Mary's on Alumni Day at 1:00 p.m., followed by a double dip against Bryant on Sunday, April 14 at 3:00 p.m.