April 13, 2009
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IOWA CITY – University of Iowa senior pitcher Brittany Weil has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for her efforts in Iowa’s four wins last week. This is the second time this season and seventh time in her career Weil has been given the award.
Weil threw her fourth hitless game of the season Sunday, tossing a no-hitter in a 4-0 win at Purdue. Weil struck out seven batters and allowed only four baserunners in the seven-inning contest, hitting a batter in the second, walking two in the fourth and one in the sixth.
The Garden Grove, CA, native also tied former Hawkeye all-American Debbie Bilbao’s record for most hitless games in a career. Weil and Bilbao have both thrown four hitless games, with Weil’s all coming this season. She threw her first career no-hitter against Kent State (Feb. 13), her second at Kennesaw State (Feb. 22) and her first perfect game against Illinois (April 1). Bilbao threw one no-hitter in 1995, a no-hitter and a perfect game in 1997 and a no-hitter in 1998.
In game one against the Boilermakers Saturday, Weil tossed a complete game, one-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts in the win. She had a perfect game through 5.1 innings before a dropped third strike gave Purdue its first baserunner. She still had a no-hitter after the fifth, but a Boilermaker infield single to start the bottom of the sixth ended the no-hit bid. In the fifth, Weil managed to strike out four batters after the dropped third strike.
During the two-game series at Purdue, Weil threw all 14 innings, giving up only the one hit with 20 strikeouts and three walks. She limited Purdue to just a .024 batting average.
Weil threw a complete game, two-hitter against Western Illinois last Wednesday. She had six strikeouts and no walks.
Weil also entered Iowa’s game against Iowa State last Tuesday in the top of the seventh with the bases loaded and only one out in the seventh, recording a fly ball and a strike out to preserve the win.
For the week, Weil was 3-0 (all complete games), with a 0.00 ERA in 20.2 innings of work. She gave up just three hits, while striking out 27 batters to just three walks. She limited her opponents to a slim .045 batting average.
Weil has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week more than any other player to pitch at Iowa. Last season, Weil became the first Iowa player to garner the award four times in a single season.
Weil and the Hawkeyes return to action Wednesday, when they face nationally-ranked Northwestern in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network (HD).