GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - - The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference office announced today (Monday) that Madonna freshman right hander Jess Irwin (Monroe, Mich.) was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week for the week ending April 27. This award marks the third straight week - and the fourth time this season - that Irwin has been tabbed as the WHAC's top hurler.

Irwin had a hand in all four wins for Madonna last week, going 3-0 while picking up a save. On Friday, Irwin set the MU single-season strike out record, posting her 183rd punch out to close out the seventh inning in an 8-3 Madonna win over Cornerstone. She then game back in the night cap to throw two innings of relief and pick up her third save of the season in a 4-3 Crusader win over the Golden Eagles. The save set both the single-season and Madonna career marks.

On Sunday, Irwin was again spectacular, picking up both wins against Concordia in helping Madonna clinch the 2008 WHAC regular season championship. In the day's opener Irwin allowed just one hit while striking out 14 Cardinals. Irwin was perfect in the final five and two-thirds innings in a 5-0 MU win. In game two, she came back to throw three and one-third innings of one-hit relief to earn her second win of the day in a 6-0 Crusader triumph.

For the week Irwin posted a 0.72 earned run average in 19.1 innings. She struck out 26 hitters in 19 and one third innings of work to improve her record setting total to 204 on the year.

Madonna wraps up the regular season on Monday, hosting Cornerstone in a WHAC twin bill at University Field. The Crusaders will also host the 2008 WHAC Tournament, starting on Wednesday at 10am.