Eureka’s Mike Dunne Selected SLIAC Pitcher of the Week

EUREKA – Eureka pitcher Mike Dunne (Bartonville, Ill./Limestone/Lincoln Land) was nearly unhittable in his first two outings of the year.

Now, he's the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Dunne, a sophomore transfer from Lincoln Land, struck out 18 of 25 batters faced over seven innings, allowing just two hits.

The southpaw came on in the fourth inning of Eureka's season opener against Knox on Wednesday and threw three scoreless innings of relief, notching seven strikeouts and notching his first win as a Red Devil. Then, on Sunday, he fanned 11 batters in four innings in his first start of the season against Central (Iowa). He only allowed one run on two hits on the week, finishing with a 1.29 ERA.

Dunne is the first Red Devil to receive the honor since Nathan Garard (Gibson City, Ill./Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley) garnered it almost exactly one year ago. Garard also had a standout week on the mound, recording a 1.00 ERA, posting 12 strikeouts and allowing just one run on six hits in nine innings, giving the maroon and gold a potent 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.

Eureka went 2-1 in the first week of the season, and will next take on Ohio Wesleyan in Memphis on Saturday to start the Red Devils' spring break trip.