This post was updated April 11 at 9:18 p.m. 

Her teammates call her the “lawnmower” in reference to her mowing down batters by striking them out.

The statistics show that freshman pitcher Kaitlyn Terry has been UCLA’s strongest pitcher this season.

Halfway through Pac-12 play in her first season as a Bruin, the Arizona native has been named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week twice in a row. She currently has an 11-0 record with five shutouts and boasts the lowest ERA on the team.

As No. 11 UCLA softball (23-9, 8-3 Pac-12) heads into its fifth Pac-12 series this weekend at Easton Stadium, Terry will be a crucial asset to battling an offensively aggressive opponent in No. 23 California (29-11, 4-8).

“She’s quick-whipped and a very fiery girl, just very witty, and I love that about her. She brings it into her game all the time,” said junior catcher Jayla Castro. “Since the season has gone on, she’s had a really great focus on keeping her rhythm and staying calm but still continuing to have that fiery punch.”

Cal’s roster consists of powerhouse batters such as infielders Elon Butler, Tatum Anzaldo and Acacia Anders. Butler is tied for first in the Pac-12 for home runs with 12, and she ranks second behind a fellow Golden Bear with 85 total bases. Anzaldo is ranked seventh in the Pac-12 with a .395 batting average. Anders leads the Pac-12 with 17 doubles and 89 total bases.

As a team, the Golden Bears lead the Pac-12 in doubles, home runs and total bases reached.

“I’m looking for them (Terry and sophomore pitcher Taylor Tinsley) to be able to pitch effectively against a very aggressive Cal team,” said coach Kelly Inouye-Perez. “It’s going to be an exciting weekend, but it’s really coming down to them being able to settle in and be able to pitch the way they are capable.”

The two young Bruin pitchers – a freshman and a sophomore – lead the staff in innings pitched. The members of the duo have both come in to relieve the other.

Castro said Tinsley’s pitching style is methodical, and she wants to get into her opponent’s head, while Terry’s pitching style is fast and always a fight.

After Terry’s most recent shutout Tuesday against Cal State Fullerton, Inouye-Perez said it is impressive how adaptive the freshman is and that it allows her to utilize different strategies when the opponent is starting to make adjustments offensively.

“She’s a dog, she never lets up, and she’s just always a consistent presence on the mound,” said sophomore infielder Jordan Woolery.

The energy and consistency from Terry in the circle will be advantageous for the Bruins as they face off against some of the top batters in the Pac-12.