Sun Belt announces Community Coffee Softball Player and Pitcher of the Week (April 11)
Community Coffee Player of the Week
Aleah Craighton (Louisiana, Junior, OF, Biology/Pre-Med)
Aleah Craighton hit three home runs – one in each game of the series – as part of a five-hit effort in the Ragin’ Cajuns three-game sweep of Troy which extended the team’s winning streak to 12 games. For the weekend, Craighton hit .625 (5-for-8), scored multiple runs each game in tallying seven runs total, posted a series-high six RBI and collected 14 total bases for a 1.750 slugging percentage. She had multiple-hit games in both ends of the Saturday doubleheader and finished the day 4-for-5 at the plate with two homers and three RBI. She singled with two outs and scored the tying run in the third inning of the series opener, then her home run in the fifth inning gave the Cajuns a 3-1 lead, providing additional insurance for Alyssa Denham. Craighton scored a run in each of her three plate appearance in Game 2 and delivered a two-run homer in the second inning to extend the lead to 6-0. On Sunday, she provided the Ragin’ Cajuns with the lead three batters into the contest by hitting a three-run home run in the first inning.
Community Coffee Pitcher of the Week
Randi Rupp (Texas State, Junior, Management)
Randi Rupp pitched in each of Texas State’s four games on the week, going 4-0 with a 0.00 ERA, 29 strikeouts and a .157 opponent batting average, while allowing only 14 hits and issuing six walks in 25.2 innings of work … She threw three complete games with two being shutouts and the final 2.2 inning of a shared shutout … Rupp started the week with a 9.0 inning, seven-strikeout performance against Texas. She allowed only five hits and issued two walks to earn her third straight win over the Longhorns … Rupp opened the South Alabama series with a 12-strikeout, complete-game shutout. She scattered six hits and only allowed two runners to reach third base … In game two she came on in relief with the score locked 0-0 in the fifth with one out and a runner on first and promptly induced a fly out before ending the inning with a strikeout. She finished the contest with her 16th strikeout of the DH with the potential tying run on third … Rupp started and went the distance in game three for her second complete-game shutout of the weekend and seventh of the season. She struck out six, while holding the Jaguars to two base hits. Her final strikeout of the day (second out in the seventh) was her 200th of the season … Rupp moved into sole possession of third on the TXST career strikeout list with No. 810 in the second inning of game one vs. South Alabama.
Rupp has also earned the following recognition this week:
• NFCA National Pitcher of the Week (April 11)
• FastPitchNews.com National Player of the Week (April 11)
• Sun Belt Conference Community Coffee Pitcher of the Week (April 11)
Previous Community Coffee Player of the Week honorees
Feb. 14 – Kelli Martinez, Louisiana
Feb. 21 – DJ Sanders, Louisiana
Feb. 28 – DJ Sanders, Louisiana and MC Nichols, South Alabama (Co-Players of the Week)
March 7 – Lexie Comeaux, Louisiana
March 14 – Ariel Ortiz, Texas State
March 21 – Becca Hartley, Troy
March 28 – DJ Sanders, Louisiana
April 4 – Daniella Chavez, Louisiana
April 11 – Aleah Craighton, Louisiana
Previous Community Coffee Pitcher of the Week honorees
Feb. 14 – Devin Brown, South Alabama
Feb. 21 – Alyssa Denham, Louisiana
Feb. 28 – Devin Brown, South Alabama
March 7 – Alex Stewart, Louisiana
March 14 – Peyton Worsham, Georgia State
March 21 – Randi Rupp, Texas State
March 28 – Randi Rupp, Texas State
April 4 – Kinsley Jennings, Georgia State
April 11 – Randi Rupp, Texas State