ST. LOUIS - Bradley junior right-hander Elliot Ashbeck (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield H.S.) is the Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week, according to an announcement from the league office Monday afternoon.
Ashbeck set the tone for Bradley's historic weekend on the mound by tossing 8.0 innings of 1-hit ball, leading the Braves to a 5-0 win in Friday's series opener at McNeese State. The Braves (5-1) went on to shutout the Cowboys in all three games, marking the first time McNeese State had ever been blanked in three consecutive games.
Ashbeck retired the game's first 11 hitters before giving up a 2-out double in the fourth. He ended that threat with one of his three strikeouts and did not allow another McNeese State player to reach second base. Ashbeck improved to 2-0 on the season and lowered his earned run average to 0.66 in two starts this season, having allowed only one run on five hits in 13.2 innings.
Feeding off of Ashbeck's start, Bradley's pitching staff went on to blank the Cowboys for the entire weekend and the Braves will take a streak of 28.1 consecutive scoreless innings into this weekend's 3-game series against Southeast Missouri State. After freshman Drew Peters started the current streak by tossing 1.1 scoreless innings Feb. 15 at Grand Canyon, six hurlers combined on the weekend effort at McNeese State: Ashbeck (8.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K); Matt Dennis (2.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 K); Steve Adkins (6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K); Cameron Roegner (1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K); Brent Stong (8.0 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 4 K); and Stephen Toma (1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 2 K).
Bradley had not recorded three consecutive shutouts since March 16-17, 1993 at Texas Pan-American's Jody Ramsey Tournament and the only other time in 92 years of available results Bradley blanked the same opponent in three consecutive games was a 1961 season-ending sweep at Wheaton.
The Braves are slated to visit Southeast Missouri State for a 3-game series this weekend, but weather is likely to alter the schedule. More information regarding this weekend's series will be announced as it becomes available.
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