NEW ORLEANS - With a seven game win streak on the line entering the weekend, Louisiana’s Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) and Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) were phenomenal and have been named this week’s Sun Belt Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week respectively for their performances.
Tankersley led all Lady Cajuns on the week hitting .600 in four UL victories. She finished the week 9-for-15 with a team best three home runs. Tankersley hit a home run in three consecutive games for the Lady Cajuns, boasting a 1.200 slugging percentage with a .667 on-base percentage. She scored a team-best six runs, while driving in a Cajuns’ best 10 RBI. Aside from her nine hits, she drew three walks including a pair of intentional walks on the weekend.
Tankersley batted .700 (7-for-10) on the weekend against South Alabama with a pair of home runs, scoring four runs and driving in 10. The senior boasted a 1.300 slugging percentage with a .769 on-base percentage against USA. Tankersley had multiple hits in three of the four games on the week, including four hits in the series opener against the Jaguars. She went 2-for-2 with two runs scored in the series finally with two walks.
In the circle, Bourgeois made three appearances on the week, going 2-0 with a save. She tossed 13.2 innings with a perfect 0.00 earned run average and a combined shutout. The freshman hurler stuck out 25 batters on the week, while surrendering just one walk. Bourgeois scattered eight hits in three games, with no extra base hits.
The Acadiana native began the week tossing 4.0 innings in relief against in-state rival McNeese State. Against the Cowgirls, she surrendered just one hit while striking out six batters en route to a win.
Bourgeois earned a save in her second outing of the week in the Cajuns' first game against South Alabama. In game one against the Jaguars, she fanned eight batters while surrendering just a pair of hits. She followed that performance by striking out a season high 11 batters against USA in 6.2 innings of relief in game two, picking up a win. In two games against South Alabama, she worked 9.2 innings of scoreless ball with 19 strikeouts and one walk earning a win and a save.
Tankersley and Bourgeois became the seventh and eighth Louisiana players to garner Player/Pitcher of the Week accolades. Tankersley and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) have both been tabbed SBC Players of the Week, while Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) and Brittany Cuevas (Brazoria, Texas) have been named Pitcher of the Week a combined four times this season.
RaginCajuns.com
Chris Whitehead