Softball: Productivity in Atlanta Provides Honors for Craighton

LAFAYETTE – Aleah Craighton found a way to reach the base path in all but two of 11 plate appearances in the No. 5-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball team’s series at Georgia State and her efforts earned her this week’s Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Week award, the conference office announced on Monday.
 
Craighton reached base in nine of the 11 plate appearances, did not strikeout in any of those appearances and hit .714 (5-for-7) in the Ragin’ Cajuns sweep of Georgia State which represented the 26th consecutive Sun Belt series win dating back to March 2013.
 
Three of Craighton’s five base hits went for extra bases, as she posted two home runs and a double leading to a 1.714 slugging percentage. She closed the series reaching base in each of her final eight plate appearances, either by base hit or drawing a walk, building to her final on base percentage of .818.
 
"Aleah’s done a tremendous job since Lexie’s (Elkins) injury of solidifying the four-hole and continuing to provide the power, on base percentage and RBI production." Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief remarked. "She is really maturing as a hitter, and does a great job of anchoring the defense in center field."
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns’ sophomore center fielder received her first Sun Belt weekly honor of the 2016 season. It’s the second honor of her career, adding to recognition received last season on May 4, 2015 after hitting four home runs and posting nine RBI in a series at ULM.
 
The Prairieville, La., native and Dutchtown HS product becomes the sixth different Ragin’ Cajun to be honored with a weekly award by the Sun Belt Conference this season. She joins a list of honorees that includes: Lexie Elkins (Student-Athlete of the Week, Feb. 16), Kylee Jo Trahan (Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week, March 1), DJ Sanders (Student-Athlete of the Week, March 8), Shellie Landry (Student-Athlete of the Week, March 28) and Alex Stewart (Pitcher of the Week, April 4).
 
Craighton’s selection marks the third straight week that a Ragin’ Cajuns student-athlete receives a weekly honor from the SBC. The current string began with Landry’s honor on March 28. Her honor marks the 77th student-athlete of the week honor all-time for Louisiana since the league began bestowing the honor in 2000.
 
The Cajuns’ center fielder scored at least one in each game of the series and crossed home plate twice in each of the final two games.
 
Craighton posted three RBI (sixth time reaching the total) in helping Louisiana build a 4-0 lead, and later drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh inning to set up DJ Sanders‘ game-winning home run in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader (6-5 win over GSU).
 
She capped off her series performance in Atlanta with a 2-for-2 showing at the plate – both hits for extra bases (double, home run) – and posted her 13th home run of the season which is a new personal single-season best total.
 
"We’re seeing the evolution of a kid who is really, really good and is continuing to work hard and develop," Lotief stressed. "I believe that she’s just scratching the surface of who she is and who she is going to be as a player, person, athlete and teammate."
 
Craighton is currently hitting .386 (39-for-101) with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBI on the season. In addition to a personal season-best home run total, she’s equaled her doubles output from 2015 (redshirt freshman season) and with 24 total extra base hits is two shy of matching her career-best total 26 set last season.
 
The Georgia State series production increased her current hitting streak to six games, which is the longest active on the Cajuns squad and increased her season total of multiple-hit games to 10.
 
No. 5 Louisiana (32-3, 13-1 Sun Belt) swept Georgia State in a Saturday doubleheader 4-1, 6-5 and claimed the series finale 12-0 (5 inn.) on Sunday. As a result, the Ragin’ Cajuns reached 30 wins prior to the season’s 35th game for the third time in the past five seasons (2012, 2015, 2016) and ninth time in program history.
 
Michael Lotief‘s squad will spend its upcoming bye weekend from Sun Belt Conference play in a Top 5 matchup at No. 2 Florida (38-3, 12-3 SEC) in Gainesville, Fla.
 
The No. 5-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns and Gators are set for a three-game series Saturday-Sunday, April 16-17 at Katie Seashole Preslly Stadium on the UF campus. Action on both days begins at 12 p.m. (CDT) with a doubleheader on Saturday and single game Sunday. All three games in the series are being produced by SEC Network Plus and streamed live on WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app.
 
2016 RAGIN’ CAJUNS SUN BELT STUDENT-ATHLETE/PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Feb. 16 – Lexie Elkins (Student-Athlete of the Week)
Mar. 1 – Kylee Jo Trahan (Pitcher of the Week)
Mar. 8 – DJ Sanders (Student-Athlete of the Week)
Mar. 28 – Shellie Landry (Student-Athlete of the Week)
Apr. 4 – Alex Stewart (Pitcher of the Week)
Apr. 11 – Aleah Craighton (Student-Athlete of the Week)
 
ALL-TIME RAGIN’ CAJUNS SOFTBALL SUN BELT STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
2016: Lexie Elkins (2/16); DJ Sanders (3/8); Shellie Landry (3/28); Aleah Craighton (4/11)
2015: Lexie Elkins (3/23); Lexie Elkins (4/20); Aleah Craighton (5/4)
2014: Lexie Elkins (2/10); Natalie Fernandez (3/24); Lexie Elkins (4/7)
2013: Brianna Cherry (2/25); Nerissa Myers (4/8); Nerissa Myers (4/29)
2012: Christi Orgeron (2/13); Christi Orgeron (2/20); Nerissa Myers (3/5); Nerissa Myers (3/19); Christi Orgeron (3/26); Christi Orgeron (4/23)
2011: Gabriele Bridges (2/14); Christi Orgeron (3/7); Gabriel Bridges (3/21); Christi Orgeron (4/18); Gabriele Bridges (5/2); Gabriele Bridges (5/9)
2010: Vallie Gaspard (2/15); Christi Orgeron (3/8); Christi Orgeron (3/29)
2009: Gabriele Bridges (2/16); Karli Hubbard (3/16); Gabriele Bridges (4/6); Christi Orgeron (4/20); Christi Orgeron (4/27)
2008: Melissa Verde (2/11); Holly Tankersley (3/10); Holly Tankersley (4/14)
2007: Codi Runyan (2/12); Holly Tankersley (2/19); Holly Tankersley (2/26); Holly Tankersley (3/12); Holly Tankersley (3/19); Melissa Verde (4/23)
2006: Danyele Gomez (2/14); Danyele Gomez (2/21); Danyele Gomez (4/3); Danyele Gomez (4/10); Danyele Gomez (4/24); Codi Runyan (5/8)
2005: Jill Robertson (2/21); Crystal George (3/14); Jill Robertson (4/18); Danyele Gomez (4/25); Danyele Gomez (5/2)
2004: Holly Tankersley (2/17); Holly Tankersley (3/2); Holly Tankersley (4/5); Holly Tankersley (5/3)
2003: Becky McMurtry (3/4); Danyele Gomez (3/13); Becky McMurtry (4/7); Danyele Gomez (4/14); Becky McMurtry (5/5)
2002: Alana Addison (3/18); Becky McMurtry (3/25); Jerie Alexander (4/1); Alana Addison (4/15); Missy Martin (4/22); Becky McMurtry (4/29)
2001: Alana Addison (3/19); Missy Martin (3/26); Alana Addison (4/2); Jerie Alexander (4/23); Jana Mower (4/30)
2000: Tiffany Clark (3/13); Alana Addison (3/27); Jana Mower (4/10); Tiffany Clark (4/17)