Sangamon Sun

Illinois College's Jordan Closs has been named the Midwest Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second week in a row. The announcement was made by the league, recognizing the junior from Niantic, Illinois, for her impressive performances on the field.

This accolade marks the third time this season that Closs has received this weekly honor. Over a stretch of three games last week, Closs managed 21 shutout innings. Her week began with a notable achievement on Tuesday when she struck out 18 batters in a single game, setting a school record during a 1-hit victory over Eureka.

Continuing with her outstanding form, Closs achieved the first perfect game in Illinois College's history on Friday, securing a 14-strikeout effort against Monmouth. She concluded her week with a win at Cornell, pitching a 4-hit shutout and adding two more strikeouts to her tally.

Currently, Closs holds a 13-4 record for the season and has secured victories in her last five starts, during which she has not conceded any runs. Her performance over these five outings has been marked by 50 strikeouts over 35 innings pitched.