Eureka’s Raelyn Payne Named SLIAC Hitter of the Week

EUREKA – For the first time in her standout career, Eureka's Raelyn Payne (Lexington, Ill./Lexington) is the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hitter of the Week.

Payne, a senior shortstop, slashed .647/.714/1.176 with a home run, a triple and four doubles while the Red Devils went 4-1 on the week. She finished the week with 11 hits, six RBI, six runs, four stolen bases and three walks. She went 3-for-4 twice and had multiple hits in every game except for one.

Her two-run bomb in the fifth inning of the Red Devils' 4-0 win over Blackburn on Sunday was her third of the season and 14th in her collegiate career, tying her for second all-time in program history with Kelli Dunne (2012-13).

Payne currently leads the SLIAC in batting average (.521), slugging percentage (.938), is tied in home runs (3), and is second in on-base percentage (.593) and doubles (9)

In addition to her stellar hitting, Payne also recorded 14 assists and 12 putouts in 27 chances at shortstop.

This is Eureka's first SLIAC Hitter of the Week honor since Adrianna Zeman's honor on March 17, 2020.

The Red Devils are 7-10 on the season and 3-1 in SLIAC play, and have won six of their last seven games. Eureka will host Greenville (6-14, 0-2 SLIAC) for a SLIAC doubleheader at Sweitzer Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m.