WASHINGTON – Saint Louis University freshman pitcher Isabel Royle is the Atlantic 10 Conference softball Rookie of the Week for March 18-24, the league office announced Tuesday. It is Royle's second Rookie of the Week nod this season.
 
Royle pitched in all three games of SLU's A-10 series vs. Saint Joseph's, going 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA. She struck out eight and walked only three in 9 1/3 innings. Royle fanned six and allowed no earned runs in a 7-2 complete-game victory over the Hawks in game two, helping the Billikens win the series two games to one.
 
Royle owns a 5-1 record, and her team-best 2.51 ERA ranks third in the A-10. She ranks second in the conference with 6.85 strikeouts per seven innings and a 3.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio (team-high 60 strikeouts, 18 walks). Royle has issued just 2.05 walks per seven innings.
 
Saint Louis (16-11, 4-2 A-10) is tied with George Washington and Saint Joseph's for first place in the A-10. The Billikens face George Washington in their first conference road series of the season March 29-30. Friday's doubleheader and Saturday's single game start at 11 a.m. Central.