NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State baseball fifth-year senior Derek Salata has been named a National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball News, the organization announced Monday.
Salata, who was one of five pitchers honored and the only player from the Missouri Valley Conference, fired six innings with 11 strikeouts in Friday's game at Belmont without allowing an earned run.
Salata is the sixth Redbird since 2000 with three-plus outings of 10-plus strikeouts in a single season (2019 - Brent Headrick, 9th Round to MIN; 2014 - Jeremy Rhoades, 4th Round to LAA; 2011 - Corey Maines, 23rd Round to NYY; 2001 - Neal Cotts, 2nd Round to OAK; 2000 - Brian Forystek, 4th Round to BAL).