Lockdown performance earns Summer Ellyson Sun Belt honors

Shut down Coastal Carolina’s offense in weekend sweep which extended @RaginCajunsSB’s win streak

LAFAYETTE – A week punctuated by a masterful performance against the conference’s leading home run hitting team has resulted in a fourth consecutive – and seventh overall this season – Community Coffee Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week award for Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball’s Summer Ellyson.

Ellyson recorded four victories, including all three of a Sun Belt series for the second straight week, as Louisiana extended its win streak to 23 games. She surrendered only two runs and nine hits over 22-1/3 innings pitched and struck out 29 batters.

On Wednesday, Ellyson (33-4, 1.01 ERA) became the first Ragin’ Cajun since Jordan Wallace in 2013 to reach 30 wins when she limited Conference USA-leader Louisiana Tech to two hits over six innings in a road victory.

Over the weekend, Louisiana’s junior right-hander pitched 16-1/3 innings and did not allow a single run in an SBC series against a Coastal Carolina squad which entered with 74 home runs, limiting the Chanticleers to seven hits, two doubles and a .123 average.

Ellyson’s 24 strikeouts were the most recorded by a pitcher in a weekend series against Coastal in SBC play. She closed the weekend with weekend with 5-2/3 innings of perfect softball in relief, retiring all 17 batters she faced to shift the momentum and lead Louisiana to the 3-2 come-from-behind win.

“Summer has really matured as a pitcher and as a person,” Louisiana Softball head coach Gerry Glasco said. “She can handle just about anything you throw at her right now. She’s just really special in her poise and the way she handles adversity.”

The nation’s leader in wins with 33, Ellyson leads the Sun Belt Conference and ranks Top 10 nationally in every major pitching category. She has crafted a career-best 287 strikeouts, paced by 11 double-digit performances, which has her on pace for her first career 300-strikeout campaign.

This week’s award increases the Ragin’ Cajuns team total of SBC weekly awards for the 2019 season to 12.

Ellyson’s seven selections mark the most for a Louisiana pitcher in a single season since Ashley Brignac received the exact amount in 2011 and is one off the program record eight claimed by Brooke Mitchell in 2004.

Louisiana, which has received at least one SBC Player and Pitcher of the Week award since the inception of the league in 2000, now owns 88 pitcher of the week awards in program history.

No. 8 Louisiana concludes the regular season May 2-4 in Monroe, La. with a Sun Belt Conference series at in-state foe ULM. Play begins Thursday at 6 p.m. at the ULM Softball Complex.

2019 LOUISIANA SOFTBALL SUN BELT PLAYER/PITCHER OF THE WEEK AWARDS
Feb. 12 – Raina O’Neal (Player of the Week)
Feb. 12 – Kandra Lamb (Pitcher of the Week)
Feb. 19 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Mar. 12 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Mar. 19 – Julie Rawls (Player of the Week)
Mar. 19 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Mar. 26 – Alissa Dalton (Player of the Week)
Apr. 9 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Apr. 16 – Alissa Dalton (Player of the Week)
Apr. 16 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Apr. 23 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)
Apr. 30 – Summer Ellyson (Pitcher of the Week)

FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.