2018 Sun Belt Softball Weekly News and Notes:
Standings | Composite Schedule | Stats | Championship Information
#FUNBELT FACTS
• Conference play kicks in for Sun Belt softball as 22 games dot the week’s schedule, highlighted by first league matchups beginning on Friday, March 9. The ULM-Appalachian State series is slated for live coverage on ESPN3.
• Louisiana is 20th and Texas State is listed among the teams receiving votes in this week’s
USA Today/NFCA Poll. The Ragin’ Cajuns are also 20th in this week’s
ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll.
• Georgia State (12-8), winner of six straight, and Troy (13-6), winner of five straight, enter this week at the Sun Belt’s hottest teams.
• Troy is in the top 10 nationally in two defensive categories – fifth in fielding percentage (.984) and eighth in double plays per game (0.63). On the offensive side, Coastal Carolina is ninth in home runs per game (1.29) and Louisiana is ninth in stolen bases per game (2.41).
• Texas State senior pitcher Randi leads the nation in strikeouts with 119. Rupp has posted six double-digit strikeout games so far this season. In other NCAA Division I statistical individual categories, Georgia State senior catcher/first base Ivie Drake is ninth in doubles (8), Appalachian State Sidney Russell is tied for fourth in triples (4), Troy sophomore pitcher Peyton Glover is tied for sixth in saves (3) and Texas State senior infielder Ariel Ortiz, Troy sophomore outfielder Stephanie Snyder and Louisiana freshman outfielder Casidy Chaumont are tied for sixth in sacrifice flies (3).
• The 2018 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship is set for May 9-12 at Alfred and Helen Lamson Park on the campus of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
COMMUNITY COFFEE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Reagan Morgan, Georgia State (Jr., OF, Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Georgia State junior outfielder Regan Morgan was 12-for-14 at the plate with a home run, four RBI, three walks, a stolen base and eight runs scored. Morgan reached base 15 times in 18 plate appearances for an average of .857, an on-base percentage of .882 and a slugging percentage of 1.071. Against Connecticut, she helped the Panthers sweep the doubleheader going 5-for-6 with two runs, an RBI, stolen base and walk. The Lawrenceville, Ga., native led Georgia State to a sweep of Detroit, launching her second career home run, a three-run shot to right field in Game 1. Morgan finished that doubleheader a perfect 6-for-6 at the plate with five runs scored and three RBI. She capped off the Detroit series going 1-for-2 with a run scored and a walk.
COMMUNITY COFFEE PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Annie Willis, Troy (Fr., P, Huntsville, Ala.)
Troy freshman pitcher Annie Willis was dynamite in the circle, helping the Trojans go 5-0 at the D9 Citrus Classic. Willis made two starts, throwing a complete-game shutout against FIU, only allowing two hits and fanning five batters. She picked up her second win with a golden performance against Fordham tossing a career-high 10 strikeouts and did not allow a run through her six innings in the circle. Willis finished the week with a 0.00 ERA through 13.0 innings of work, improving to 4-1 on the year.
2018 Weekly Awards Archive
Player
Feb. 13: Sydney McKay, ULM
Feb. 20: Hailey MacKay, Texas State
Feb. 26: Courtney Dean, Coastal Carolina and Hunter Hogan, ULM
Pitcher
Feb. 13: Kylee Jo Trahan, Louisiana
Feb. 20: Summer Ellyson, Louisiana
Feb. 26: Randi Rupp, Texas State
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tuesday, March 6
Appalachian State at Norfolk State, Noon
Appalachian State at Norfolk State, 2 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7
Detroit at Georgia Southern, 11:00 AM
Presbyterian at Georgia State, 4:00 PM
South Alabama at Southern Miss, 6:00 PM
Houston Baptist at Texas State, 6:00 PM
Friday, March 9
*Georgia Southern at Troy, 2:00 PM
*Georgia Southern at Troy, 4:00 PM
Saturday, March 10
*Texas State at Georgia State, Noon
*ULM at Appalachian State (TV: ESPN3), Noon
*Louisiana at Coastal Carolina, Noon
*Georgia Southern at Troy, Noon
*UTA at South Alabama, 1:00 PM
*Texas State at Georgia State, 2:00 PM
*ULM at Appalachian State (TV: ESPN3), 2:00 PM
*Louisiana at Coastal Carolina, 2:30 PM
*UTA at South Alabama, 3:00 PM
Sunday, March 11
*Louisiana at Coastal Carolina, 11:00 AM
*Texas State at Georgia State, 11:00 AM
*ULM at Appalachian State (TV: ESPN3), Noon
*UTA at South Alabama, Noon
* - Sun Belt Conference game