McLean County Times

For the second consecutive week, Illinois Wesleyan University sophomore Gianna Certa has been recognized as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Pitcher of the Week. This marks her third time receiving the honor this season. She becomes the first Titan to achieve this distinction three times in one season since Natalie Grubczak last year, and the first IWU pitcher to win in consecutive weeks since Ally Wiegand in 2019.

Certa's performance was pivotal during a recent six-game stretch from April 19-21. She led her team to maintain their position at the top of the conference standings with a flawless 3-0 record for the week. Her efforts included complete game shutouts across all three appearances, amassing 17 strikeouts while allowing only three walks and holding opponents to a .138 batting average.

Her week began with a seven-inning shutout against North Central on April 19, where she used just 92 pitches to secure a three-hit victory over the Cardinals, striking out seven in a 2-0 win. Certa continued her dominance with two five-inning run-rule victories: a 12-0 win over Carthage on April 20, permitting only three hits, and an 8-0 win against North Park on April 21, where she allowed two hits and struck out six.

Certa currently boasts a remarkable 0.21 ERA since conference play started and holds a perfect 5-0 record in league starts with four shutouts.

The Titans will take a brief hiatus from conference play as they prepare for a doubleheader against Coe College scheduled for Wednesday, April 24, at Inspiration Field. The first game is set to begin at 2 p.m.