For the fourth time this season and seventh time in her two-year Illinois State career, senior
Nicole Kurth has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. This weeks honor marks the third straight week in which Kurth has been named MVC Pitcher of the Week.
For the fourth time this season and seventh time in her two-year Illinois State career, senior Nicole Kurth has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week. This weeks honor marks the third straight week in which Kurth has been named MVC Pitcher of the Week.
Kurth earned three victories for the Redbirds in a three-game series sweep of MVC foe Drake in Des Moines, Iowa last weekend. For the week, Kurth surrendered just one earned run in 19 innings to post a 0.47 ERA while striking out 31 batters.
I thought Nicole had another good weekend, Illinois State head coach
Melinda Fischer said. She started out well in the first game of the Drake series, gave us good relief in the second game and pitched real consistently in the third game of the series.
Kurth has posted victories in five consecutive decisions and owns a 16-3 record on the year. Her team-best 176 strikeouts ranks second in the MVC this season and she boasts a team-best 1.18 ERA. A first-team All-Missouri Valley pick in 2000, Kurth is even tougher on conference opponents, owning an 11-1 record and 0.29 ERA in Valley play.
Its the kind of season we were hoping for, Fischer said about Kurths season. Shes shown some real leadership on the mound and at this point in this season shes given us exactly what we needed. She works real hard, shes extremely focused and she has fit into every role we have asked her to.
Since transferring from Illinois Central College, Kurth has a record of 33-15 (.688), with 342 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.33 over the past two seasons.
The Redbirds, 24-12, currently sit atop the MVC standings with a 13-1 conference record. Illinois State returns to action on Wednesday against Northern Illinois at 4 p.m. at the Redbird Softball Complex.
