Lafayette native Summer Ellyson key part of Cajuns early success
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The Ragin’ Cajuns softball team had a big weekend over in Birmingham at the UAB Blazer Classic, going 4-1 in double headers against Number 8 Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, and UAB.
Three of those four wins came courtesy senior pitcher Summer Ellyson, who led the Cajuns to victory in every game she was in the circle.
In 2019, the Teurlings Catholic alum was the nation’s leader in wins at all levels of collegiate softball and the first Ragin’ Cajun to reach 30 wins since 2013.
But breaking records isn’t what the All-American is focused on.
“I’m not out here trying to break records,” Ellyson says. “That’s not my goal. My goal is to help my team win and accomplish what we set out to accomplish. I don’t think about statistics before a game. They’re like ‘you have this many wins or this many strikeouts, whatever.’ That doesn’t matter to me. I don’t like to think about it or talk about it. It’s there.”
The records and the wins are definitely there. And there’s no doubt Ellyson is one of the best pitchers Louisiana softball has produced.
She knows the platform this sport has given her, and she is using it to impact the younger generation of softball players.
“After every game, we always make it a big point to go talk to those fans and go talk to those little girls that are waiting for autographs and waiting to talk to us,” Ellyson says. “I remember being that same little girl. I take the time to think about those things and participate with them, hang out with them, teach them things.”
Ellyson played in 50 of the 58 games for the Cajuns last year, leading the team to the regional round of the NCAA Tournament at Ole Miss.
This season, Ellyson is joined by All-American senior transfer from Oregon Megan Kleist. Together, the duo have helped Louisiana to an 11 and 3 record this season.
With a solid pitching and powerful hitting, this Cajuns team has its sights set on the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
“When you look at most big colleges like Oklahoma, you look at Florida, you look at all the teams that make it to the College World Series, like for example, Washington, they had two pitchers,” Ellyson says. “They had Taran Alvelo and Gabbie Plain. You work together. It’s a relief to not have to do it all by myself. It’s even more of a relief to have her and know that she’s there to help me.”
Ellyson and the rest of the Ragin’ Cajuns will be back in action on Tuesday against the Texas Longhorns in Austin for a double-header before heading to Florida for a three-game series.