Softball: Raina O’™Neal Rewarded for Efforts in Louisiana’™s Top 10 Battles

Sparking the rally for the series win at then-No. 6 Florida lands her Sun Belt Player of the Week honors

Raina O’Neal 

LAFAYETTE – Key plays made in the waning moments of Sunday’s win at then-No. 6 Florida, which helped Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball capture the series victory in Gainesville, has landed junior center fielder Raina O’Neal the Community Coffee Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week award.
 
Sunday’s efforts punctuated a solid week at the plate for O’Neal in Louisiana’s week-long battle with Top 10 foes Texas and Florida.
 
O’Neal led the Top 10-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns (14-5) at the plate during the week-long stretch of Top 10 matchups, posting a .412 batting average with seven hits, three RBI and three stolen bases.
 
Her big hit was the two-run home run which ignited the rally that led to the series victory on the road in Gainesville. An inning after the home run, O’Neal gave the Ragin’ Cajuns the lead for good with a two-out RBI single, then beat a throw to second to keep the inning alive for junior utility Carrie Boswell’s critical home run.
 
O’Neal finished Sunday’s finale in Gainesville 3-for-4 at the plate with three RBI – season-high totals in both categories.
 
For the week, she put up a pair of multiple-hit games and had at least one base hit in four of the five games against Top 10 nationally ranked pitching.
 
It’s the second career Sun Belt weekly award for O’Neal, who first received the award on Feb. 12, 2019 after hitting .632 with nine RBI during her debut weekend as a Ragin’ Cajun.
 
 It is the second weekly award for a Ragin’ Cajun in the 2020 season, as O’Neal joins Summer Ellyson who captured the pitcher of the week honor back on Feb. 18.
 
Louisiana returns to Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park on Wednesday, March 4 for a midweek contest with Campbell (10-10). First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.