ST. LOUIS – Illinois State's Jacob Hendren has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week, MVC Commissioner Doug Elgin announced Tuesday. Hendren and the female winner, Evansville golfer Kayla Katterhenry, were honored for their performances during the week of March 7-13.
Hendren, a senior baseball player from Le Roy, Illinois, turned in his best start of the season to help Illinois State win a pitchers' duel against Western Michigan on March 11, as the senior left-hander did not allow an earned run over eight stellar innings in the 2-1 win. Hendren allowed only five hits and did not walk a batter, while striking out seven.
After allowing an unearned run in the top of the first inning, Hendren put seven-straight zeroes on the scoreboard and earned his first win of the season, as Illinois State's offense provided two runs in support of its starter in the top of the seventh inning. Hendren did some of his best pitching late, as he retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, finishing his day with a strikeout to end the eighth.
A standout in the classroom as well, Hendren boasts a 3.89 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) as a mathematics/pre-medicine major.
To qualify for Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week laurels, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20, must have completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing.
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