BATON ROUGE - LSU senior right-hander Rachele Fico collected SEC Pitcher of the Week honors Monday as announced by the league office. It marks the fourth career weekly award for Fico and her second selection of the 2013 season.

Fico picked up two victories and notched a SEC-low 0.33 ERA as LSU (19-5, 2-1 SEC) ended opening weekend of conference play in sole possession of first place in the SEC Western Division.

During the series opener, Fico racked up 22 strikeouts during LSU's dramatic 1-0 victory over Mississippi State in 14 innings. The 22 Ks not only set a LSU single-game record which stood previously for 12 seasons by former All-American Britni Sneed but matched a SEC single-game mark held by former Tennessee All-American Monica Abbott.  

Fico secured eight strikeouts in another complete game win to clinch the series. The Connecticut native enters this week's action eight Ks away from becoming the fourth pitcher in program history to reach 700 career strikeouts. 

"Rachele was fantastic for us all weekend, head coach Beth Torina said. "I enjoy watching her pitch day in and day out. Her performance on Friday night was one of the most gutsy and memorable performances I've ever witnessed."

LSU returns to the friendly confines of Tiger Park and squares off with Nicholls State. Wednesday's first pitch is on-tap for 6 p.m., and the game will carried live by Cox Sports Television. The LSU Sports Radio Network will make its season debut on Country Legends 104.9 FM, and the broadcast also will be available for Geaux Zone subscribers at LSUsports.net/live.

Fans can follow every pitch of LSU softball this season via live stats at www.LSUsports.net/livestats along with live in-game updates on LSU softball's social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball and @lsusoftball on Twitter.