NEW ORLEANS – After picking up a pair of wins in relief for the University of South Alabama softball team this past weekend at the Jaguar Classic presented by Marriott Mobile, Jaguar pitcher Olivia Lackie was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week as announced by the league office Tuesday.
With the selection, Lackie becomes the second Jaguar to earn a weekly league honor for the program this spring as Belle Wolfenden was selected as the SBC's Player of the Week a week ago.
The honor is the first of Lackie's career and the accolade marks the 44th time in program history that South has had a player earn a weekly honor from the Sun Belt. The Walker, La., native's selection also marks the 24th time the program has had a player selected as the SBC's pitcher of the week.
The last time the Jags had a pitcher earn the weekly league honor was back on March 27, 2018 (Alexis Reid). Lackie is also just the second overall and the first freshman pitcher to win the award since Devin Brown did so on Feb. 9, 2015.
Lackie – who was named to the all-tournament team for her performance – recorded four solid outings out of the bullpen for South Alabama over the weekend. In her 12.2 innings of relief, the freshman righty struck out 24, while allowing just two runs and issuing three walks.
She began her weekend with an appearance on Friday night where she tossed 3.2 innings of two-hit ball and struck out seven to pick up the victory in relief over Murray State in the tourney opener.
Saturday saw her make a pair of appearances. In game one, Lackie once again entered in relief and kept the Jaguars in it for the remainder of the game, striking out eight of the 14 batters she faced, while only surrendering one hit. Lackie picked up her second win in relief against Butler in the nightcap, adding six more strikeouts to her weekend total in three innings of work. On Sunday, Lackie tossed two perfect innings of relief, striking out three, and again kept South in the game as the Jaguars tried to mount a seventh-inning rally.
With her performance, she leads the team in strikeouts (34) and holds a 2.4:1.0 strikeout to walk ratio.
South Alabama will host its second straight home tournaments this weekend as the Jags are set to open up the South Alabama Invitational on Friday against 17th-ranked Missouri. First pitch versus the Tigers is set for 5:30 p.m. at Jaguar Field.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
Join the Bullpen Club, the softball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members have access to purchase parking passes and receive Jaguar Softball gear. All donations to the Bullpen Club go directly to support the South Alabama softball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/bullpenclub.
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