NEW ORLEANS | For a program-record sixth time,
Olivia Lackie was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday after helping the Jaguars pick up the program's first conference road sweep at Georgia Southern over the weekend.
Lackie has also been named the league's pitcher of the week this spring on Feb. 21, March 7, March 28, April 4 and April 18.Â
With the selection, Lackie tied
Devin Brown's career program mark of 11 pitcher of the week selections.
The honor marked the 36th time in which the program has had a pitcher earn the award, and the six selections by Lackie this spring are tied with FIU's Kasey Barrett (2010) for fourth most in a season. They are the most by a league pitcher since Louisiana's Summer Ellyson who earned seven selections during the 2019 season. The 11 career POTW selections for Lackie are tied for fifth-most career selections ever by a league pitcher.
Lackie's selection also marks the seventh time over the first 11 weeks of the spring that a Jaguar pitcher has earned the honor as she has been selected six times and
Jenna Hardy (3/21) once. The seven selections by the Jaguar pitching staff also tied the 2008 Louisiana staff for fourth most in a season.
The Walker, La., native didn't allow an earned run and was two outs from recording her fourth no-hitter of the spring on Sunday. In her two appearances, Lackie posted a 0.00 earned run average, struck out 12 and held Georgia Southern's batters to a .150 average.
On Friday night, Lackie went six innings and the only runs allowed came during the bottom of the fifth after a pair of Jaguar errors. In the contest, she allowed just five hits and struck out eight.Â
In Sunday's series finale, Lackie was outstanding as she clinched the road series sweep of the Eagles with a one-hit, complete-game shutout. In her seven innings, Lackie allowed just three base runners and struck out four in the five-inning, run-rule victory.Â
After South had put up a pair of runs in the top of the first, Georgia Southern threatened with a pair of two-out walks in the bottom half of the inning, but Lackie induced a pop out on the infield to end the threat. The Walker, La., native then retired the next 11 batters before losing her no-hitter with one out in the fifth.
The shutout was the 11th of the spring for Lackie – which is tied for the NCAA – and was the 30th of her career, moving her within one shutout of former Jag
Devin Brown's program mark (31). Since her Feb. 17 start vs. Mississippi Valley State, Lackie has allowed one or fewer runs in 15 of her starts, tossing 11 solo shutouts and combined on three more over that stretch.Â
Lackie is 17-6 on the year with a 1.39 earned run average and a 0.92 WHIP with 171 strikeouts and a .183 opponent batting average. She has been credited with the win in eight of her last 11 starts and since her Feb. 17 start vs. Mississippi Valley State, she has allowed one or fewer runs in 14 of her last 20 starts.Â
South Alabama (32-13, 14-4 SBC) will head out back out on the road for the second of two-straight road series when the Jags travel to Hattiesburg, Miss., to take on Southern Miss in a three-game SBC series. First pitch for game one is set for Friday at 5 p.m. at the USM Softball Complex.Â
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