MOBILE, Ala. | All season,
Olivia Lackie has been ranked among the nation's elite in the circle, and heading into the final month of the season that remains unchanged as the senior was ranked 14th nationally by Softball America on a list of 20 pitchers from around the nation earlier this week.
Lackie (20-7, 2 SV) holds a 1.36 earned run average, has struck out 188 batters and held opponents to a .180 batting average. The Jag right-hander leads the Sun Belt in opponent batting average, while ranking second in the league in strikeouts, just one behind Texas State's Jessica Mullins, second in ERA, strikeouts looking (56) and innings pitched (190.2).
The Walker, La., native is ranked second nationally in innings pitched, tied for ninth in shutouts with seven, 12th in strikeouts, and her 20 wins are tied for 11th most in the country.
Over her last 15 outings, a span of 97.1 innings, Lackie has been dominant in the circle as she has allowed just 12 earned runs and holds an 0.86 ERA and held opponents to a .174 batting average.
Lackie has been named the SBC Pitcher of the Week twice this spring and a program-record 13 times during her career, which are also fourth-most by a league pitcher.
Lackie and her South Alabama teammates will host Southern Miss in a three-game series this weekend at Jaguar Field looking to secure a high seed in next week's conference tournament.
SOFTBALL AMERICA TOP 20 PITCHERS (Month of May)
(1) NiJaree Canady, Stanford
(2) Payton Gottshall, Tennessee
(3) Lexi Kilfoyl, Oklahoma State
(4) Karlyn Pickens, Tennessee
(5) Jessica Mullins, Texas State
(6) Jala Wright, Duke
(7) Ashley Miller, Northwestern
(8) Emiley Kennedy, Texas A&M
(9) Kayla Beaver, Alabama
(10) Kelly Maxwell, Oklahoma
(11) Morgan Leinstock, Arkansas
(12) Maddia Groff, Southern Illinois
(13) Kasey Ricard, Boston
(14) Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
(15) Taylor Tinsley, UCLA
(16) Sydney Berzon, LSU
(17) Bridget Nemeth, Penn State
(18) Maddie Penta, Auburn
(19) Teagan Kavan, Texas
(20) Keagan Rothrock, Florida
FOLLOW THE JAGS
For complete coverage of South Alabama Softball, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaSB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaSB (Facebook), @SouthAlabamaSB (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.
