BATON ROUGE — The 15th-ranked LSU softball team is midway through preseason practice as the Tigers prepare for a challenging 2004 schedule that begins with the LSU Tiger Classic in Tiger Park, Feb. 6-8.
The softball team will host “Select a Seat” on Saturday, Jan. 31 beginning at noon for fans to come out and purchase season tickets for the upcoming season. In addition, the Tigers will hold a scrimmage after fans who purchase tickets participate in the “Home runs for 100’s” promotion for a chance to win $100.
Season tickets are only $60 and include admission to LSU’s two home tournaments and 17 regular season contests.
Returning five starters, including three All-Louisiana selections and a two-time All-American pitcher, from a 50-win team a year ago, the LSU softball team has tremendous potential as it heads into the 2004 season.
Along with the return of several key components from a team that played for the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship for a fifth- onsecutive year and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for a sixth-straight year, the Tigers have six outstanding newcomers that should make an immediate impact and compliment the eight returning letterwinners.
“I really like this team,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “It has tremendous potential. I say that because I see a side that is hard to see, that is the team chemistry.”
The strength of the LSU program will be in its pitching, but the Tigers will also have a more balanced offensive attack to provide necessary run support. Coming off a power explosion last season that saw LSU lead the SEC in home runs and rank second in doubles, the Tigers return a large portion of that firepower this season. In addition, LSU will have more team speed and the ability to mix in a short game to keep the Tigers moving on the base paths.
“Our team strength will be pitching,” said Girouard, “but I do know that we have much more team speed than we did last year, which is a good thing. At times we were kind of station-to-station. I know that we worked very hard this fall in creating offensive opportunities. We worked on our short game and moving runners. I expect us to be different in that aspect.”
During fall drills, personal and team losses helped spark a spirit and camaraderie between the players and coaches off the field as the team worked to play together as a unit on the field.
“The fall was interesting for us,” said Girouard. “We had some attrition and I had some personal loss in my life with the death of my dad, so there were times that I wasn’t here. I actually only got to see one game in the fall. It was a time of real bonding and a coming together as 14 individuals. From that experience, I just expect great things for the team.”
It is from that bonding and team chemistry that the Tigers have developed the trust necessary to transform from nine outstanding individual athletes to one cohesive unit on the field.
“I think what is going to evolve is a team with heart, one that will find a way to make a situation right,” said Girouard. “In that process I envision a lot of wins this season.”
The Tigers, who have never shied away from tough competition, will once again be faced with a challenging schedule this season. With 20 games against teams that participated in NCAA Regional play last year, including six games against teams that advanced to the Women’s College World Series, LSU will be put to the test as the Tigers pursue postseason play.
“There is nothing new this year,” said Girouard. “We have a challenging schedule, opponent-wise, both at home and on the road.”
LSU opens the season with the Tiger Classic. The tournament features WCWS participant Oklahoma and NCAA Regional participant Illinois.
“Our out of conference schedule is a great one,” said Girouard. “We bring in Oklahoma to Tiger Park in the first weekend of the season along with a very good Illinois team that played very well in the Alabama regional last year.”
The Tigers then travel to Las Vegas for the UNLV Softball Classic. LSU will challenge 2003 WCWS runner-up California. After the Purple & Gold Challenge, LSU travels to the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Tigers will have a rematch with California while also taking on NCAA Regional participant Florida Atlantic before beginning bracket play against some of the nation’s best softball competition.
“We go out to Las Vegas once again and meet up with California, who was the national runner-up last year,” said Girouard. “We have some great games in our out of conference schedule including the Leadoff Classic, which always involves the best teams in the country.”
In SEC action, the Tigers open league play at home against Mississippi State. LSU also hosts defending SEC champion Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Auburn. Of the teams the Tigers host this season, only Auburn did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament last year.
On the road, LSU will take on defending Western Division champion and 2003 WCWS participant Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Tennessee.
“When you just look at the SEC schedule it’s a great one, because as usual it will be a dogfight in the league,” said Girouard. “You’ve got some up and coming young teams.
“Georgia won it all last season and basically lost no one, so they are going to be a powerhouse. Alabama went to the World Series with a young team and Tennessee has a phenomenal young pitcher on their staff. The SEC is a powerhouse as usual.”
The 2004 SEC Tournament will be held at the University of Alabama Softball Complex this season, a change from previous years when the conference tournament was held at neutral sites. The tournament site will then rotate between league schools each season.