LAS VEGAS — The 14th-ranked LSU softball team travels to take on the second-ranked Cal Bears as part of the three-day UNLV Softball Classic this weekend at the Stephanie Lynn Craig Softball Complex.
The Tigers open play against Portland State on Friday at 1 p.m. (CST) in the season opener for the Vikings. LSU will then take on Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. (CST) in the Badgers season opener as well.
LSU will then face undefeated and No. 2-ranked California (6-0) on Saturday at 1 p.m. (CST) before concluding tournament play at 3:30 p.m. (CST) against Utah, which is 3-1. The Tigers do not have a game on Sunday.
This will be the Tigers? third appearance in the UNLV Softball Classic. LSU is 7-3 all-time in the tournament. Since LSU reinstated its softball program in 1997, the Tigers are 2-2 all-time against the tournament field. LSU is 0-2 all-time against California, including an 0-1 record in the UNLV Softball Classic, 1-0 all-time against Utah and 1-0 all-time against Wisconsin. This is the first meeting between LSU and Portland State.
For her career, Yvette Girouard is 5-11 against the tournament field. She is 1-6 against California, 3-3 against Utah and 1-2 against Wisconsin. This is her first meeting with Portland State.
Last weekend, LSU posted a 3-2 record in the Tiger Classic, defeating Centenary, Illinois and Southeastern Louisiana with a loss to No. 4 Oklahoma and one to Illinois in the rematch.
Seniors LaDonia Hughes and Julie Wiese, along with sophomore Lauren Castle, were named to the all-tournament team for the Tigers. Castle led the team with a .462 batting average, including a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. Wiese hit .333 for LSU with a double, four RBIs and two runs scored.
Hughes hit .421 for the Tigers with her first career home run with an inside-the-park shot against Centenary. She also recorded a triple in that game. She finished the weekend with six RBIs and five runs scored.
As a team, LSU was explosive at the plate. The Tigers hit .345, which ranks third in the Southeastern Conference, with nine doubles, three triples and six home runs in five games. The .583 slugging percentage is second only to South Carolina in the league.
In her first collegiate outing, freshman Emily Turner posted a complete-game shutout of the Ladies of Centenary. She threw five innings and allowed just two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. She completed the weekend with a 2-1 record.
Senior All-American Kristin Schmidt recorded 10 strikeouts in her first outing of the season against Illinois. She completed the weekend with 15 strikeouts in 17 innings of work.
After the UNLV Softball Classic, the Tigers return home for the Purple & Gold Challenge next weekend. LSU will face in-state rival Louisiana Tech, along with Southern Miss, Alcorn State and Texas-San Antonio.