Karly Heath Captures Final Sun Belt Player of the Week Award
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball senior utility specialist Karly Heath delivered a sensational performance in her final Sun Belt Conference series at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park and the result was her earning the final SBC Player of the Week award of the 2023 season, the conference office announced on Tuesday, May 9.
Heath finished her Senior Weekend going 6-for-8 (.750) at the plate with three extra base hits (two doubles, grand slam) and seven (7) RBI and added 4-2/3 scoreless innings pitched in a Friday start in the circle to her impressive resume.
She reached the base path in seven of her nine plate appearances and crossed home plate five (5) times. The North Augusta, South Carolina product delivered a multiple-hit game all three days en route to a series-best six base hits and an astounding 1.375 slugging percentage.
Of the six hits, three of the final four - starting on Friday - resulted in at least one RBI capped off by a grand slam on Saturday in her final regular season at bat that broke open the game, stretching the advantage to 8-1.
Her start in the circle on Friday was highlighted by a no-hitter that she carried into the fifth inning which set up the one-hit shutout that clinched Louisiana's 81st consecutive SBC series win. She also picked up the pitching staff's 400th strikeout of the season with her second punchout of the evening.
The Ragin' Cajuns claimed seven (7) weekly awards overall from the Sun Belt during the 2023 season, with Tuesday's honor adding to the SBC Pitcher of the Week awards claimed by Sam Landry (Feb. 14) and Meghan Schorman (Feb. 28) in February, Heath's SBC Player of the Week honor (Mar. 21) in March, Sam Landry and Laney Credeur's sweep of the awards on April 11 and Lauren Allred's recognition as SBC Player of the Week on April 25 following the Troy series.
Louisiana, which has received at least one SBC Player or Pitcher of the Week award since the inception of the league in 2000, now owns 99 Sun Belt Player of the Week awards in program history.
Heath was the main catalyst for Louisiana's offense throughout the regular season leading the team in runs (49), extra base hits (24), home runs (14), RBI (43) and total bases (107). She established new career-high totals in home runs and RBI, produced the first 50-hit campaign of her collegiate career and impacted the game with her speed collecting 21 stolen bases in 22 attempts.
In Sun Belt play, Heath posted a .443 average with 14 extra base hits, 20 RBI, 17 stolen bases and conference leading totals with a .934 slugging percentage and 1.434 OPS. She ranked Top 10 in average, slugging, on base percentage, OPS, runs scored, hits, RBI and home runs.
No. 24 Louisiana (43-13, 22-2 SBC) is hosting the 2023 Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park this week and is scheduled to begin play in the event on Thursday, May 11 at 7:00 p.m. There are 10 Sun Belt Conference teams participating in the single-elimination tournament from Wednesday-Saturday, May 10-13, vying for an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The event begins on Wednesday, May 10 with a pair of first round games, ramps up with the quarterfinal round on Thursday, May 11 and concludes with the championship game on Saturday, May 13 at 1:00 p.m.
The Ragin' Cajuns quarterfinal round opponent on Thursday (May 11) will be the winner of the ULM-Georgia State first round contest.
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Re: Softball: Karly Heath Captures Final Sun Belt Player of the Week Award
