ST. LOUIS – Southern Illinois pitcher Brad Harrison was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday. Harrison earned the award for the third time this season. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings against Valparaiso on Sunday.
In the first four innings on Sunday, Harrison struck out nine batters while Valpo was only able to put six balls in play. In the first inning, Valpo hit a leadoff triple, and Harrison proceeded to strike out the next three batters on 10 pitches to get out of the jam. He didn’t allow another Valpo player to reach third base for the remainder of his outing. He struck out 11 in seven shutout innings, limiting Valpo to four hits and a .167 average.
Harrison earned the honor for the third time this season. Harrison and now-pitching coach P.J. Finigan are the only players in school history to earn three MVC Pitcher of the Week awards. Finigan earned the award three times in 2005, when he was the MVC Player of the Year.
Southern Illinois has pitched four shutouts this year, and Harrison has started three of them. He threw a complete-game shutout at Belmont. Against Southeast Missouri (March 6) he pitched eight shutout innings, and against Valparaiso (April 8) he pitched seven shutout innings; Trey McDaniel finished both of those shutouts.
Missouri State’s Drew Millas earned the MVC Player of the Week honor.
SIU hosts Eastern Illinois on Tuesday at 5 p.m. before traveling to Dallas Baptist for a three-game series with the nationally ranked Patriots.
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