Summer Ellyson awarded Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week honors

Junior pitcher claimed five wins as No. 10 @RaginCajunsSB extended season-opening win streak

LAFAYETTE – Summer Ellyson recorded five victories, including both in a doubleheader sweep of Pac-12 foe California, as Louisiana extended its season-opening win streak to 11 games last week, and on Tuesday she was rewarded for her efforts.

The Lafayette native received the Week 2 Community Coffee Sun Belt Softball Pitcher of the Week award. It’s her fourth career honor and the second straight week a Ragin’ Cajun claims the distinction (Kandra Lamb, Week 1).

During Louisiana’s homestand-ending stretch last week, Ellyson worked 30-2/3 innings, yielded only four earned runs and 16 base hits, struck out 24 and issued just three walks. In three complete game efforts of seven innings, including both games vs. Cal, she needed less than 100 pitches to net the result.

In the sweep of Cal, Ellyson thew a strike on 117 of 163 pitches on the night and held the Bears to nine hits in 14 innings.

In the Ragin’ Cajuns (11-0) tightest contest to date, a 2-1 decision on Friday vs. Austin Peay, she was in command allowing only two of the 24 batters she faced to advance past second base.

“Summer is so calm and she understands the game and how to control her emotions,” Louisiana Softball head coach Gerry Glasco said. “If you get Summer when she is on and a defense not making any errors, it will be hard for other teams to score.”

In her final outings of the weekend, Ellyson pitched 9-2/3 scoreless innings on Saturday against Stephen F. Austin and APSU in pitching Louisiana to the championship game of the 33rd Louisiana Classics.

Louisiana has now claimed three SBC weekly awards in 2019. Last week, Rania O’Neal and Kandral Lamb claimed SBC Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. Ellyson’s selection marks the 83rd all-time SBC Pitcher of the Week in program history.

No. 10/11 Louisiana travels to Waco, Texas for the Baylor Invitational set for Friday-Sunday, Feb. 22-24 at Getterman Stadium on the Baylor University campus. There the Ragin’ Cajuns will face No. 21/22 Baylor, Kent State and North Texas.

The Ragin’ Cajuns open tournament play on Friday facing Kent State at 12:30 p.m. and Baylor at 5:30 p.m., then wrap up round robin play on Saturday with North Texas at 10 a.m., all games airing on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM. Bracket play begins Saturday afternoon with matchups determined by round robin results.