Valparaiso sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Lagesse (Beecher, Ill./Beecher) was named the Horizon League Pitcher of the Week for the second time this year and the third time in her career after pitching 11 innings of shutout ball in a pair of victories last week.

Lagesse opened her line for the week with six innings of four-hit ball in the nightcap at IPFW on Wednesday, helping the Crusaders to a 1-0 victory.  The sophomore allowed just one runner past first base and no runners past second in the winning effort.  Lagesse followed with a complete-game three-hitter in Valpo’s league opener against Green Bay, which entered the game scoring nearly six runs per game, on Saturday, a five-inning 8-0 win shortened by run rule.

Lagesse improved her record to 7-3 on the season and dropped her ERA to 1.60, good for second in the Horizon League.  She becomes the first Crusader to earn multiple weekly honors this season from the league office, as Valpo has now had six total honorees in just five weeks of competition.  Lagesse and the rest of the Crusaders return to action Wednesday afternoon in a non-league home doubleheader against Northern Illinois, slated for a 3 p.m. start.