Ross Learnard of Catlin was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week for his performance over the last few days for Purdue University. Some highlights:
- Closed out all four of Purdue's wins last weekend earning a win and three saves, including all three games in the sweep at Maryland
- Retired 18 of 22 batters faced, with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched
- Has pitched 19 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to Feb. 25
Learnard, a senior, transferred to Purdue after two years at Parkland College in Champaign.
As a junior at Purdue, Learnard was named a Second Team All-American after posting school records for ERA (a minuscule 0.58 for the season, 0.42 for the conference season). He was named a Second team Pre-Season All-American for this year, and is on the NCWBA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
From the Purdue University website:
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Ross Learnard was on the mound when the final out was recorded of all four of Purdue baseball’s wins last week, earning the closer Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors as the league’s first reliever recognized since March 2015.
Learnard retired 18 of 22 batters faced over 6 1/3 innings of two-hit relief. He earned the save in all three games of the series at Maryland, the Boilermakers’ third sweep of the season.
As an agricultural business major, Learnard has compiled a 3.53 grade-point average. He’s among the program’s six seniors set to graduate next month.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK NOTABLES
• Learnard is the first reliever to be named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week since Illinois’ Tyler Jay in March 2015. Jay went on to earn Big Ten Pitcher of the Year that season before being selected sixth overall in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
• Learnard is the first Boilermaker to record three saves in one weekend series since at least the beginning of the 2000 campaign. Scott Helmer established a Purdue single-season record with 13 saves in 2000, but did not have three in one weekend. Helmer did record a save in three consecutive games twice that year, but both times it was against three different opponents — Penn State, Ball State, Iowa (April 2-7) and Notre Dame, Valparaiso, Indiana (April 11-14).
• Learnard is the Boilermakers’ first reliever to be named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week since Nick Wittgren in March 2012. Wittgren closed out two of Purdue’s three wins at a tournament hosted by Auburn, tying the program’s all-time saves record in the process.
• Learnard led the way as the Purdue bullpen worked 26 1/3 innings of four-run ball last week, recording 25 strikeouts vs. six walks. Trevor Cheaney (3 App, 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K) was the only other Boilermaker to appear in at least three of the five games.
