Five home runs and 13 RBI lands Louisiana-Lafayette's Lexie Elkins USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honors

April 21, 2015

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 21, 2015

 

Five home runs and 13 RBI lands Louisiana-Lafayette's Lexie Elkins USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honors

 

OKLAHOMA CITY — An exceptional offensive performance against Appalachian State has earned Louisiana-Lafayette's Lexie Elkins (Victoria, Texas) her first USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honors the Amateur Softball Association announced today.  The junior catcher went 8-for-10 from the plate for a .800 average as the No. 9 Ragin' Cajuns swept a doubleheader from the Mountaineers over the weekend.  For her efforts, the Texas native also was tabbed as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season.   

 

"It means a lot to have been given this award," said Elkins.  "I'm honored and thankful that my teammates and coaches continue to push me every day to get better."

 

In the opener of Saturday's doubleheader at Appalachian State, Elkins went 4-for-5 with three home runs, six RBI and three runs scored in a 21-5 victory in five innings.  She followed her game one performance with a duplicate 4-for-5 showing at the plate in the nightcap that included a pair of home runs, a career-high tying seven RBI and three runs scored in a 23-6 contest.  She homered twice in the fifth inning of game two to reach 25 home runs on the season, which eclipses her total of 24 hit in 2014 and represents the second-highest total in a single-season in school history.  With these two performances, Elkins picked up her sixth and seventh multiple-home run contests of the season.

 

“Lexie had a special weekend," said Louisiana-Lafayette Head Coach Michael Lotief.  "She works extremely hard, has incredible hand-eye coordination and is a very smart, intellectual hitter. She feeds off of her teammates.  It's a great individual honor for her, but it's also something that we take a lot of pride in as a team and offensive lineup."

 

On the week, Elkins combined for an 8-for-10 (.800 average) performance at the plate with five home runs, 13 RBI and six runs scored.  Elkins is now one of just six players nationwide to reach 20 homeruns this season and is also a Top 26 Finalist for 2015 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year.   

 

This is the first USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Week honor for Elkins and this marks the first time since Week Two of the 2012 season that an athlete from Louisiana-Lafayette has earned the award.  The Ragin' Cajuns are set to face No. 2 Oregon in Eugene, Ore. for a three-game series this upcoming weekend.

 

2015 USA Softball National Collegiate Players of the Week
Week 1 (Feb. 5-8): Taylor Schoblocher - North Texas - Junior - Utility – Forney, Texas

Week 2 (Feb. 9-15): Lauren Haeger - Florida - Senior - Pitcher/1B – Peoria, Ariz.

Week 3 (Feb. 16-22): Jenna Lilley - Oregon - Freshman - Infield - North Canton, Ohio

Week 4 (Feb. 23 - March 1): Sierra Lawrence - Michigan - Junior - Outfield - Snellville, Ga.

Week 5 (March 2-8): Emily Carosone - Auburn - Junior - Outfield - Orlando, Fla.

Week 6 (March 9-15): Bianka Bell - LSU - Junior - Infield - Tampa, Fla.

Week 7 (March 16-22): Megan Good - James Madison - Freshman - Pitcher/Infielder - Mount Sidney, Va.

Week 8 (March 23-29): Geri Ann Glasco - Oregon - Junior - DP/Pitcher - Watkinsville, Ga.

Week 9 (March 30 - April 5): Shelby Turnier - UCF - Junior - Pitcher - Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Week 10 (April 6-12): Paige Parker - OU - Freshman - Pitcher - Independence, Mo.

Week 11 (April 13-19): Lexie Elkins - Louisiana-Lafayette - Junior - Catcher - Victoria, Texas

 

 

About ASA/USA Softball 
Founded in 1933, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball is the National Governing Body Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic Committee. One of the nation’s largest sports organizations, ASA/USA Softball sanctions competition in every state through a network of 74 local associations and has grown from a few hundred teams in the early days to over 165,000 teams today, representing a membership of more than 2.5 million.  ASA/USA is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in international and domestic competitions. The USA Softball Women’s National Team is one of only two women’s sports involved in the Olympic movement to capture three consecutive gold medals at the Olympic Games since 1996. The U.S. women have also won nine World Championship titles as well as claimed eight World Cup of Softball titles. For more information about ASA/USA Softball, please visit http://www.asausasoftball.com/.

 

About the NCAA Women’s College World Series
The ASA Hall of Fame Stadium serves as the home to the NCAA Women’s College World Series (WCWS). For the 25^th year, the top eight college teams in the nation will head to Oklahoma City and complete for a National Championship title. Last year, nearly 70,000 fans attended the WCWS. Experience It Live May 28 to June 3 in Oklahoma City. Tickets for the 2015 NCAA WCWS are on sale now, click here to purchase your tickets and make a date with champions!

 

 

Codi Warren

 

Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Amateur Softball Association of America/USA Softball

Office 405.425.3431 | Cell 405. 420. 2817