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Softball: Wallace Bestowed Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week Honor
LAFAYETTE – Jordan Wallace picked up two wins, surrendered only one hit in 10 innings and struck out 21 in the No. 7 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball team’s Sun Belt home-opening series sweep of UT Arlington and was rewarded with Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week honors on Monday by the conference office.
For Wallace, who previously received the honor on Feb. 16, it’s her second weekly honor of the 2015 season and 10th in her career.
She joins Brooke Mitchell and Ashley Brignac as one of only three pitchers in program history to attain SBC Pitcher of the Week honors 10 times or more. Mitchell holds the program record having received the honor 16 times from 2002-05 while Brignac won the award 14 times from 2008-12.
Wallace’s efforts played a key part in the Ragin’ Cajuns pitching staff holding UTA, a team entering the series with a .367 batting average, to .086 the entire series.
"Jordan did a great job of competing, both mentally and physically," Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief said. "She continues to embrace each challenge that is placed in front of her."
Wallace tossed three hitless innings and struck out five batters in the opener on Friday, which lasted only five innings. She wound up facing only one over the minimum and combined with Kylee Jo Trahan and Alex Stewart for the staff’s 12th shutout of the season.
The senior hurler matched her season-high with 16 strikeouts and allowed just one hit in seven innings in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, as Louisiana claimed the series with a 4-1 victory.
Wallace was given a 3-0 lead after one complete inning, then bore down on the Mavericks collecting multiple strikeouts in each of the final six innings including striking out the side twice. The Mavericks lone hit didn’t come until two outs in the fifth inning.
"I thought she was dominant in her two outings," Lotief added. "Her ‘stuff’ was really good on back-to-back days."
The two victories increased her career total to 82, moving her within two of Melissa Coronado for fourth place on the career charts. Her strikeouts total upped her career tally to 797, placing her within three of becoming on the fifth player in program history to amass 800 strikeouts.
Wallace, Christina Hamilton in her start, and Trahan and Stewart pitching in relief, combined to post two shutouts in the UTA series and limit the Mavericks to just five hits over 18 innings.
"I thought Christina did a great job in game three and Kylee and Alex did good work in relief," Lotief remarked. "I know this is an individual honor, but I’m proud of our pitching staff and how hard they work and support each other."
No. 7 Louisiana (20-3, 5-1 Sun Belt) continues its current nine-game homestand Monday, March 16 with a 6 p.m. single game against Georgia Southern which can be heard live on TalkRadio 960-AM. The Cajuns and Eagles are also scheduled to play a 4 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday, March 17 which will be aired on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM.
RAGIN’ CAJUNS SOFTBALL SUN BELT PITCHER OF THE WEEK ARCHIVE
2015: Jordan Wallace (2/16); Christina Hamilton (2/23); Jordan Wallace (3/16)
2014: Christina Hamilton (3/17); Christina Hamilton (4/21)
2013: Jordan Wallace (2/18); Jordan Wallace (4/8); Jordan Wallace (4/15); Jordan Wallace (5/6)
2012: Ashley Brignac (2/27); Jordan Wallace (3/19); Jordan Wallace (4/9); Ashley Brignac (4/16); Jordan Wallace (4/23); Jordan Wallace (4/30)
2011: Ashley Brignac (2/14); Christina Hamilton (2/21); Ashley Brignac (2/28); Ashley Brignac (3/21); Ashley Brignac (3/28); Ashley Brignac (4/18); Ashley Brignac (5/2); Ashley Brignac (5/9)
2010: Donna Bourgeois (2/15); Brittany Cuevas (4/19)
2009: Donna Bourgeois (2/9); Donna Bourgeois (2/16); Ashley Brignac (3/16); Donna Bourgeois (4/20); Donna Bourgeois (4/27)
2008: Ashley Brignac (2/11); Ashley Brignac (3/10); Ashley Brignac (3/17); Brittany Cuevas (3/24); Donna Bourgeois (4/14); Ashley Brignac (4/21); Donna Bourgeois (4/28)
2007: Brittany Cuevas (2/26); Brittany Cuevas (3/12); Brittany Cuevas (4/23); Brittany Cuevas (5/7)
2006: Krystal Lewallen (2/14); Ashley Kirchberg (2/21); Ashley Kirchberg (4/3); Ashley Kirchberg (4/24); Ashely Kirchberg (5/8)
2005: Brooke Mitchell (2/21); Brooke Mitchell (2/28); Brooke Mitchell (3/7); Brooke Mitchell (3/14); Heather Bobbit (4/18); Brooke Mitchell (4/25)
2004: Brooke Mitchell (2/17); Brooke Mitchell (2/24); Brooke Mitchell (3/2); Brooke Mitchell (3/9); Brooke Mitchell (3/22); Brooke Mitchell (4/5); Brooke Mitchell (4/12); Brooke Mitchell (4/19)
2003: Brooke Mitchell (2/18); Brooke Mitchell (2/25); Michael Parrott (3/4); Brooke Mitchell (3/31); Afton Thoms (5/5)
2002: Melissa Coronado (4/8)
2001: Melissa Coronado (3/19); Melissa Coronado (3/26); Micah Barbato (4/16); Melissa Coronado (4/30)
2000: Melissa Coronado (4/10)
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