NEW ORLEANS - After helping shutout 18th-ranked Troy on Saturday, Hunter Adkins took home Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday, a first for Middle Tennessee this season.

Adkins put together the longest outing of his career, going eight innings and allowing just three hits to help propel Middle Tennessee to a 1-0 victory over the visiting Trojans, marking the first Blue Raider win over a ranked opponent since knocking off top-ranked Vanderbilt in 2007. The Signal Mountain, Tenn., native also tallied five strikeouts.

Adkins is the first MT Pitcher of the Week since Kenneth Roberts won the award in April of last season. He is also just the second sophomore to be honored as such since Matt Scott garnered the accolades three times in 2005.

Middle Tennessee will now prepare for a midweek series at in-state foe Memphis, beginning on Tuesday.