May 5, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Sophomore left-hander J.A. Happ (Peru, Ill./St, Bede Academy) earned his first Louisville Slugger National Co-Pitcher of the Week honor, announced by Collegiate Baseball newspaper today. Happ also was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week, becoming the first Big Ten pitcher to garner the conference award three times. Happ previously received the conference award March 24 and April 7.
Happ tossed his fifth complete game of the season Saturday, striking out a career-high 16 Iowa batters with only one walk in seven innings as the Wildcats downed the Hawkeyes 6-1. Happ struck out the side three times, twice in order. The Illinois native gave up only five hits and no earned runs while helping Northwestern win three of four games to hold onto third place in the Big Ten standings. Happ lowered his ERA to 2.53 and improved to 7-3 on the season with a team-high 80 strikeouts in only 67.2 innings of work.
Happ shares the national award with Dennis Bigley from Oral Roberts. In two outings last week, Bigley struck out 19 batters over 12 innings and walked only one. He struck out five in five innings against S.W. Missouri State and then tossed the first shutout of his career, blanking Southern Utah. In that game, Bigley retired 12 via the strikeout.
The Wildcats are back in action tomorrow, taking on Chicago State at Rocky Miller Park. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The Wildcats have an overall record of 22-17 and are 13-9 in the Big Ten.