By Ryan Rogers
LSU Sports Information
(4/27/01)
The season is winding down and the LSU softball team is gliding into the postseason riding an 11-game conference winning streak including back-to-back-to-back sweeps of Alabama, Mississippi State and Kentucky.
LSU is 43-8 (21-3) and making a strong bid to host a regional in 2001.
“If we win the SEC by winning the next two series we’ll have locked up the No. 1 seed in the region. According to NCAA history that’s usually the team who host the regional. If we can play well through the rest of the season and play well in the SEC tournament we should be in great shape,” says Girouard.
Coach Girouard knew she had a good squad coming into the season. But with the departure of so many cornerstone players last year, whether they would be able to compete for the SEC title was very much in doubt.
Then the weekend of April 7 arrived and LSU squared off in a much anticipated series with No. 3 Alabama. Alabama boasted a 34-1 record at the time and were favorites to win the series.
In what turned out to be the most remarkable weekend in LSU softball history, LSU swept Alabama in three games (1-0, 3-0, 5-0).
“It was a tremendous accomplishment to beat Alabama,” Girouard said. “They have a great team. I’m very proud of my team.”
The sweep of Alabama did a lot for the team’s confidence. LSU now knew that they were able to defend their title as SEC champs. It also put LSU in a great position to make a push to its first College World Series. The CWS has eluded talented Tiger teams in the past.
Last year, as the No. 1 seed, LSU hosted a regional that drew two very tough teams in Southern Miss and Louisiana-Lafayette. The Tigers stumbled losing to Louisiana-Lafayette and Southern Miss. Southern Miss went on to win the regional and advance to the CWS.
“I hope we don’t have as tough of a regional should we host,” Girouard said. “You have to have luck in the draw and LSU has had no luck in the draw in past years. When I was at ULL we lost four times at home before we went away and caught a break in the pairings.
“The key is to stay in the top 8 and be protected. You have to hope that the committee smiles on you and gives you a fair regional.”
One of the reasons why LSU hasn’t been able to overcome the CWS jinks is that success in the postseason is all about peaking at the right time. LSU appears to be playing their best softball late in the season. This is a very good sign for LSU.
“I think we are playing our best defense right now. Pitching has been steady all year long. We have bats that come in and out of our lineup as all teams have with hitting. But I feel really good about where we’re at right now.”
It’s way too early to start generalizing about LSU’s chances in the postseason. The Lady Tigers still have to wrap up the season in good style to ensure a regional at Tiger Park. If they accomplish that, it will be interesting to see whom the committee sends on buses to Baton Rouge. One thing is for sure, no matter whom LSU draws, this team is ready and they feel destined suceed.
“I think this team can make it to the World Series. It’s a team that wants it really badly. They’ve been sadly disappointed the last two years. I want it for them and for our fans to be able to enjoy that.”