ST. LOUIS – After picking up a win and a save in the Bears' Missouri Valley Conference opening series at Indiana State, Connor Sechler became the second Missouri State hurler in as many weeks to be named MVC Pitcher of the Week on Monday. 

Sechler played an instrumental role in the Bears' doubleheader sweep of Indiana State on Friday, earning a save MSU's 4-3 win in game one—its 12th victory in a Valley opener in the last 13 years—before picking up the win in the Bears' 5-4 decision in the nightcap. A freshman from Bolivar, Mo., Sechler struck out two Sycamores in a scoreless inning and two-thirds to log his second collegiate save, then allowed just one hit over 3.1 innings in game two to give his offense the opportunity to mount the decisive two-run rally in the 11th inning. In all, the right-hander allowed one run on two hits while striking out five in 5.0 innings to help the Bears lock down the series win.

Sechler also became the fourth Bear to earn a weekly Valley honor over the first seven weeks of the 2018 season. Dylan Coleman earned MVC Pitcher of the Week recognition last week, after Jeremy Eierman (March 19) and Drew Millas (March 5) picked up MVC Player of the Week laurels earlier in March.

The Bears (19-7, 2-1 MVC), who earned the No. 24 spot in this week's Collegiate Baseball Division I Top 30 poll earlier Monday, will meet the Missouri Tigers at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday (April 3) evening at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, in the first of the two clubs' three regular-season meetings scheduled for this spring.