Raley honored as softball player of the week

Louisiana Tech third baseman Claire Raley has been named the Blenders Eyeware Conference USA Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday.

Raley had an outstanding week at the plate, batting .615 with 8 hits, a double, 5 runs scored, a walk, and a stolen base while helping the Bulldogs post a 3-1 mark, which included a series win over WKU and the first win over UL-Lafayette since 1998.

In Sunday’s series-clinching win over WKU, Raley went 3-4 with a double and two runs scored; it was the second-consecutive three-hit game for Raley and her 23rd career multi-hit game. In game two of the series, Raley had a 3-for-4 effort at the plate while scoring a run. She became just the third Bulldog this season to record three or more hits in consecutive games.

The junior third baseman went 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, and a run scored in a 5-3 series-series opening win on Saturday. Raley had a 1-for-3 night and scored the game-winning run during the Bulldogs’ 5-3 win over UL-Lafayette on Wednesday.

The Clovis, Calif., product is batting .326 this season with 34 hits and a team-leading 21 runs, 4 triples, and 3 home runs. In conference play, Raley ranks fourth among all CUSA players in stolen bases (3), sixth in hits (11), and 10th in runs scored (6).

Raley’s selection marks the 33rd time that Louisiana Tech has had a representative earn Conference Player of the Week honors and 19th as a member of Conference USA.

She is the fourth Bulldogs this year to earn weekly conference honors, joining Mattison Buster (Freshman of the Week, March 11), Allie Floyd (Pitcher of the Week, Feb. 26), and Brook Melnychuk (Pitcher of the Week, Feb. 19)