New Softball Star: Vallery Wong Earns National Player of the Week

[Charles Fischer]

EUGENE, Ore. – Vallery Wong was named the national player of the week by D1Softball and Extra Inning Softball on Tuesday and was also honored as the Pac-12 player of the week.

 

Wong led No. 11 Oregon’s home run barrage on its trip to North Carolina, belting five of the Ducks’ 17 round-trippers.

 

The junior catcher from Sacramento, Calif., helped Oregon go 5-0 in games against UNC Greensboro, North Carolina, Penn State and UConn (twice).

 

Wong went 9-for-17 at the plate (.529) with nine RBI. She slugged 1.412 for the weekend and only struck out once.

 

Wong entered the weekend with one career home run in 101 career at-bats.
 

 

That changed in a hurry Thursday night at UNC Greensboro when her eighth-inning homer gave the Ducks a temporary 4-3 lead in a contest they would eventually win 12-4 in 10 innings.

 

She continued her torrid pace Friday versus Penn State with a two-run home run in the first inning.

 

Saturday, she went yard twice versus Connecticut and again versus North Carolina, giving Wong a home run in four consecutive games. She also threw out a runner against the Tar Heels.

 

Wong not only had at least one hit in all five games, but also knocked in at least one run in all five.

 

Over the weekend, Wong raised her average 105 points (.259 to .364).

 

Wong shared Extra inning Softball’s national honors with South Florida pitcher Georgina Corrick.

 

The Ducks (16-3) are preparing for their 2022 home opener Friday at 4 p.m. versus Portland State.

[30Duck]

For a while under White the Softball team was like WBB, ruled the Pac-12; both are the most competitive conferences in the country. Now, Oregon has dropped a bit. But Graves will have the basketball team back on top soon enough and I am equally confident that Lombardi will do the same with the softball team. Congrats to Vallery, and she won't be the last. 

[EastBayDuckDad]

Wong reminds me of Gwen Svekis from that great 2018 team. Slugger and a force behind the plate,  ultimately an All American and NFCA National Catcher of the Year. Great catching makes good pitching better. Ms. Wong appears to have that level of talent.