A .692 batting average over a four-game series may not mean a whole lot over the course of a season, but for now, it suits Joe Bonadonna just fine.

Along with Northwestern’s Jake Goebbert, Bonadonna was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week for his strong performance against Minnesota last weekend.

The junior second baseman reached base at an astounding .706 clip and stole three bases during the series, which Illinois won, 3-1.

“This weekend I guess I just saw the ball real well,” Bonadonna said with a chuckle. “I’m just putting it into play and not getting myself out.”

Illinois coach Dan Hartleb was in full agreement.

“He was very consistent and had a lot of energy on the bases,” Hartleb said. “He was kind of a spark plug for us. He’s very deserving of the award.”

The award is the first career weekly honor for Bonadonna and the first by an Illini in more than a year. The last to earn Player of the Week honors was Ryan Hastings back on April 10, 2007.

“It’s an incredible honor,” Bonadonna said. “I didn’t even realize how well I was playing until Sunday night. Hopefully, I can get another one.”

The Buffalo Grove, Ill., native leads the Illini with a .418 batting average in conference play and is 10-for-11 in stolen base attempts. He has swiped 18 total bags on the season, including one Tuesday night against the Redbirds in a 10-4 Illini win.

Bonadonna began the season batting eighth and ninth in the Illini lineup, but quickly asserted himself there.

So much so, in fact, that Hartleb bumped him up to the No. 2 slot, where he’s been hitting since the Michigan State series March 29.

He was carrying a streak of seven straight hits into Tuesday night’s game and kept it alive through his first two at bats with a pair of singles.

But he struck out swinging in the fourth to end the streak at nine.

“I was talking to one of the players, and I can’t even remember back to tee ball if I’ve ever gone nine in a row. It’s an unreal feeling to go up there and feel like you can’t make an out.”