Published: May 09, 2008 01:33 pm         

MSU's Gjevre is OVC Pitcher of the Year

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Morehead State sophomore pitcher Alex Gjevre (Billings, Mont.) has been named the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year and First-Team All-Conference, while freshman third baseman Rebecca Butler (Pendleton, Ind.) and senior utility player Kari Quinn (Phoenix, Ariz.) were named on the second-team. Butler was also named to the All-Newcomer squad as the league announced its postseason awards Wednesday night on the eve of the conference championship tournament in Jacksonville, Ala.

Gjevre is the first major award winner from MSU in the history of the program and since the conference began holding a championship in 1994. Meanwhile, the trio of all-conference awards represents MSU’s initial first-or-second team honors since Toni Orr was second-team in 2003.

Gjevre, who is 17-5 entering the OVC tournament, led the conference and currently ranks sixth in the nation in Division I for ERA at 0.77. That mark, if it holds up this week, would set an OVC single season record.

The only other five pitchers ahead of her right now are all on teams in the top 30 in the Warren Nolan national softball RPI ratings. She has already set the Morehead State single season record for victories (17) and strikeouts (121) and is within striking distance of single season MSU marks for winning percentage, solo shutouts and saves.

She has only allowed two total runs and just one earned run in her last 30.0 innings in the circle and posted an even-lower 0.64 ERA against Ohio Valley Conference teams in 2008 while going 11-3. Gjevre has now collected 31 wins in less than two full seasons to rank third all-time at MSU. She also ranks third in career strikeouts now with 215. She was named OVC Pitcher of the Week three times

Quinn is completing her career on a high note this season and earned a spot on the all-OVC second-team as a utility player. She is 11-6 pitching this year with a 1.68 ERA and has thrown two solo no-hitter and been a part of a third no-hit shutout. She totaled 76 strikeouts in the regular season and holds the MSU career record with 352. She plays in the outfield when she’s not in the circle, and she’s been equally solid at the plate, hitting .308 overall and against OVC teams. She led the team with seven home runs, including five during the Feb. 22-24 weekend at the Blues City Classic. She entered that weekend without a career home run. She produced 24 RBI and had 13 multi-hit games.

Butler was named to the second-team as an infielder and also landed a spot on the 12-member All-Newcomer Team. She had a solid freshman campaign, including leading the team with a .338 batting average and 14 doubles to rank in the top 75 nationally. She had 14 multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games. Butler has driven in 32 runs so far in 2008 and hit six home runs.