May 11, 2009
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IOWA CITY – University of Iowa senior Brittany Weil was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for the fourth time this season and the ninth time in her career Monday. Weil received the honor after an impressive week to close the regular season.
Weil is only the third pitcher in Big Ten history to earn Pitcher of the Week honors nine times in a career, sharing the accomplishment with Northwestern’s Eileen Canney and Michigan’s Marissa Young.
This is also the second-consecutive year Weil has been named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week four times in a single season. Last season, Weil became the first Hawkeye player to garner the award four times in a season.
Weil spent last week tearing apart the Iowa record books. She tossed her fifth no-hitter of the season in game one against Wisconsin Wednesday, breaking Iowa’s career record for most hitless games in a career. She took a perfect game into the fifth with the Hawkeyes leading 8-0, but committed a throwing error with one out in the inning. She managed to get the final two outs after a 45 minute rain delay to secure the no-hitter.
Weil saved the best for last on “Senior Day” against Minnesota at Pearl Field. She shattered Iowa’s single-season strikeout record, along with tying the Iowa career record for wins (99), complete games (109) and games pitched (181). Weil fanned 20 batters Saturday to set the new single-season mark at 328.
Weil threw 14-straight shutout innings against the Golden Gophers Saturday. In game one, Weil broke the single-season strikeout mark, recording 11 K’s while allowing five hits. She flirted with another no-hitter in game two, but gave up a single in the top of the seventh. She tossed another complete game shutout, allowing just two hits with only one walk and nine strikeouts.
For the week, Weil went 4-0 with two complete game shutouts and a microscopic 0.30 ERA. She threw 23.3 innings and struck out 32 of the 51 batters she faced.
Weil and the Hawkeyes will take on Auburn Friday at 4 p.m. (CT) in the opening round game of the NCAA Tournament Atlanta Regional.