LAFAYETTE – Karly Heath stood out for Louisiana Softball on Sun Belt Opening Weekend at Southern Miss posting four extra base hits, scoring a series-high seven runs and hitting for the doubleheader cycle on Saturday, earning her the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week award on Tuesday, March 21.
In Saturday's twinbill, Heath singled and later tripled home an additional insurance run in the seventh inning of Game 1, then in Game 2 homered to start the scoring and collected a double in her final at bat of the day.
She posted her second home run of the series on Sunday in the first inning and went on to pitch 3-2/3 innings of two-hit softball in her start in the circle.
Heath scored multiple runs all three games including five tallies in Saturday's doubleheader. She posted an RBI each outing as well and generated a 1.273 slugging percentage by collecting 14 total bases in 11 at bats.
Heath picked up her second career SBC Player of the Week award, last winning in April 2022 following five-home run outburst during the team’s Spring Break trip. She’s the first Ragin’ Cajun in 2023 to pick up the offense-based honor.
It’s Louisiana’s third weekly award overall from the Sun Belt, adding to the SBC Pitcher of the Week awards claimed by Sam Landry (Feb. 14) and Meghan Schorman (Feb. 28).
Louisiana, which has received at least one SBC Player or Pitcher of the Week award since the inception of the league in 2000, now owns 96 Sun Belt Player of the Week awards in program history.
For the season Heath is the Ragin’ Cajuns leader in home runs (7), total extra base hits (12), RBI (24) and runs scored (25). The senior utility player is batting .338, slugging .688 and is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 22 innings in the circle.
No. 23 Louisiana (21-9, 3-0 SBC) has a much-awaited weekend at home hosting App State in a Sun Belt Conference series at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park from Friday-Sunday, March 24-26. Play is scheduled to begin Friday at 6:00 p.m., continue Saturday at 4:00 p.m., and conclude Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
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