SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Missouri State freshman right-hander Clay Murphy is this week’s Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon.

    Murphy went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in nine innings over two relief appearances last week. He allowed five hits for a .172 average and struck out eight.

    Wednesday against SIU Edwardsville, the Wolf Lake, Ill., native entered the game with the Bears trailing 3-0 in the fourth inning and proceeded to allow only two baserunners in 4.1 innings to earn the win in MSU’s 5-3 comeback victory.

    Sunday against Creighton, Murphy entered the game in the fifth inning with MSU trailing by two runs and shut the Bluejays down, yielding four singles and fanning five over the final 4.2 innings for the win. CU managed one walk and an unearned run off Murphy as the Bears won 6-5.

    Murphy lowered his ERA to 2.45, fourth best in The Valley.

    Murphy is MSU’s third league pitcher of the week this year, joining freshman Grant Gordon (March 1) and Mike Kickham (March 8).