NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference announced its softball weekly honors on Tuesday. Georgia Southern sophomore duo Bailee Wilson and Aaliyah Garcia were named the Player of the Week and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. It marks the third time this season that a team swept the weekly honors. Texas State (March 2) and Troy (April 6) are the only other teams to do so.
 
Softball Player of the Week
 
Bailee Wilson, Georgia Southern
(#7, So, IF – Clyo, Ga.)
 
Wilson led the Eagles (14-25, 6-14 SBC) offensively to their first Sun Belt sweep of the year, taking three from a touted South Alabama squad. The Clyo, Ga., native delivered the two-out walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to give the Eagles a 4-3 win in Game 2 to clinch the series. Wilson batted 1.000 (3-for-3) in the series opener, recording a two-run shot in Georgia Southern’s 9-1, run-rule stunner over the Jaguars. Prior to the outing, USA had only given up one game during a nine-outing stretch. The sweep of the Jaguars was the first for the Eagles since joining the Sun Belt in 2015.  
 
Softball Pitcher of the Week
 
Aaliyah Garcia, Georgia Southern
(#77, So, RHP – Angleton, Texas)
 
Garcia led Georgia Southern to a three-game Sun Belt sweep of South Alabama, outdueling NFCA Freshman 30 Watch List candidate Olivia Lackie twice to go 2-0 during the weekend. The righty hurled a two-hitter in Friday night's 9-1, five-inning win. She returned to the circle for Game 3 of the series and tossed her first collegiate shutout, giving up just three hits in Sunday's 2-0 win. The Angleton, Texas, native has now made 10 consecutive appearances, dating back to April 10, in which she has given up one or fewer earned runs.

This weekend marks the end of the 2021 regular season. The 2021 Sun Belt Softball Championship begins next Tuesday, May 11 in Troy, Alabama at the Troy Softball Complex. Play will continue through May 15, when the 2021 Sun Belt softball tournament champions will be crowned.

The tournament bracket will be released on Saturday, May 8 after the conclusion of the final Sun Belt matchup between Troy and South Alabama slated for a 3 p.m. CT start.

Championship information is on the Sun Belt Conference website with ticket information available on the Troy Athletics site.  
 
Player of Week
Week 1: Belle Wolfenden, South Alabama
Week 2: Baylee Morton, App State
Week 3: Tara Oltmann, Texas State
Week 4: Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Week 5: Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Week 6: Korie Kreps, ULM 
Week 7: Tara Oltmann, Texas State
Week 8: Katie Lively, Troy
Week 9: Faith Shirley, Georgia Southern
Week 10: Makiya Thomas, Coastal Carolina
Week 11: Kayla Rosado, Coastal Carolina
Week 12: Bailee Wilson, Georgia Southern
 
Pitcher of Week
Week 1: Leanna Johnson, Troy
Week 2: Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Week 3: Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Week 4: Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Week 5: Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Week 6: Leanna Johnson, Troy
Week 7: Kandra Lamb, Louisiana
Week 8: Leanna Johnson, Troy
Week 9: Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Week 10: Summer Ellyson, Louisiana
Week 11: Meagan King, Texas State
Week 12: Aaliyah Garcia, Georgia Southern