ST. LOUIS – After logging a total of 6.1 shutout innings in a pair of dominant relief outings this past weekend, Missouri State sophomore
Connor Sechler was named Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday.
Sechler played pivotal roles in each of the Bears' back-to-back wins over Indiana State that locked up a season-opening Valley series win for MSU. The Bolivar, Mo., native worked the final 3 2/3 innings of Friday's 6-5, 11-inning decision, fanning five Sycamores and stranding the potential go-ahead baserunners in scoring position in three different innings. In Sunday's series-clinching 1-0 victory, he piggy-backed a strong start from
Logan Wiley with 2 2/3 hitless frames of relief, striking out five more ISU hitters to help pave the way to the Bears' 26th consecutive home MVC regular-season win. The sophomore All-American would work out of a jams in the eighth and ninth innings, striking out the side in the latter after a two-base throwing error opened the inning.
For the season, Sechler is 2-2 with a 2.42 ERA and one save to go along with 33 strikeouts in 26.0 innings. He ranks among the Valley's top 10 pitchers in ERA, strikeouts, opponent average (.198), games finished (8) and total appearances (11).
The weekly MVC honor is the first this season for a Bear and the second such award for Sechler, who earned the same honor April 2, 2018.
The Bears (7-19, 2-1 MVC) embark on a nine-game road swing this week, beginning with a Tuesday (April 2) trip to Cape Girardeau, Mo., for a 6 p.m. contest with Southeast Missouri.
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