Southern Illinois University pitcher Brianna Jones (Photo courtesy of Saluki Media Services)
Southern Illinois pitcher, and former Coffee County Lady Raider, Brianna Jones was named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, the league announced Monday. Jones won three games and saved a fourth in SIU’s 4-0 week, and she had an 0.00 ERA in 16.2 innings.
Jones pitched two complete-game shutouts against Illinois State, raising her season total to an NCAA-best eight shutouts this season. She earned three wins and a save in Southern’s four games, all wins, and she allowed only nine hits, limiting opponents to a .161 average. She struck out 10 while walking only two and lowered her season ERA to an MVC-best 1.41. She also picked up wins Nos. 13, 14 and 15, which also leads the conference and ranks fifth nationally.
Jones earned the honor for the third time this year. She has also earned MVC Newcomer of the Week twice. This week, Drake’s Megan Sowa was named MVC Player of the Week and DU’s Kennedy Frank was named Newcomer of the Week. SIU (20-8, 5-0 MVC) and Drake (16-11, 6-0 MVC) are the only two teams undefeated in MVC play, and they square off in Des Moines, Iowa, for a three-game series this weekend.
UP NEXT: SIU travels to SIUE for a 4 p.m. game on Wednesday, March 30.
