HAMMOND, La. — Riding a 10-game winning streak, the 11th-ranked LSU softball team travels to Hammond for a mid-week non-conference game with Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at North Oak Park.
All three games will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network in Baton Rouge on The X – 104.5/104.9 FM. The broadcasts can also be heard in the GeauxZone powered by USAgencies on LSUsports.net.
In addition to their overall 10-game winning streak, the Tigers (35-5) have won 40 consecutive games over in-state schools dating back to 2001. The Lady Lions (9-21) have lost four of their last five and six of their last eight, all on the road, and will be playing at home for the first time since March 19.
“We have been playing outstanding softball over the past two weeks and look to keep that going this week,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We have had outstanding hitting, especially from Leslie Klein who has just been on fire the last few weeks, and key performances in the circle from Emily Turner and Dani Hofer. Megan Jolly, who has pitched very well so far season and been counted on for relief when needed on the weekends, will get the start for us on Wednesday.”
This is the second meeting this season between LSU and Southeastern Louisiana, but the first meeting between the schools in Hammond in school history. In the first contest this season, the Tigers topped the Lady Lions, 6-0, in Baton Rouge on March 2. Turner threw a three-hit complete-game shutout. She allowed just three singles and no walks while striking out 12.
Four Tigers posted multiple-hit games, with Stephanie Hill going 2-for-2 with a double, a walk and an RBI. Klein and Lauren Delahoussaye each went 2-for-3 on the night, while Lauren Castle was 2-for-4. In addition, Camille Harris posted a pair of RBIs on one hit.
LSU scored one in the first, two in the second and three in the fifth on its way to the win. Rachael Schwartz took the loss for the Lady Lions, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks and no strikeouts in four innings. Jessica Sander allowed three runs in relief to close out the game.
Klein took over the top spot for the Tigers in batting average over the weekend. For the season, she is hitting at a .433 clip with 10 doubles, three triples and four home runs, while leading the team with 36 RBIs. In addition, she is 12-for-14 in stolen bases and perfect in 45 attempts in center field.
Sophomore Vanessa Soto is also hitting over .400 with a .402 average for the year. The second baseman leads the team with 14 doubles, while also recording three home runs and 32 RBIs. Hill is just under .400 with a .396 mark with 12 doubles and a team-best five home runs.
As a team, LSU is swinging at a .337 clip for the season, including 73 doubles, eight triples and 25 home runs. The Tigers have also stolen 73 bases, while committing only 33 errors in almost 1000 attempts for a .967 fielding percentage.
Conversely, Southeastern has just two batters hitting over .300 for the season, led by Amber Gentry with a .318 average, including a double and seven RBIs. Heather Sherrill leads the Lady Lions with 22 RBIs and four stolen bases. As a team, SLU is hitting at a .256 clip for the year with 35 doubles, five triples and 14 home runs. In addition, the Lady Lions have stolen just 13 bases with a .937 fielding percentage.
In the circle, Turner and taken over at with a 14-2 record, including 10 complete-game shutouts, and a 0.48 earned run average, followed by Hofer with a 12-3 mark and a 1.42 ERA. The duo has combined for 224 strikeouts in 195 innings.
Jolly is 4-0 on the season in seven appearances with three complete-game shutouts. The sophomore has yet to allow an earned run, remaining the only pitcher in the Southeastern Conference with a spotless 0.00 earned run average. In addition, she has struck out 22 in 25.1 innings of work.
Schwartz leads Southeastern in the circle with a 9-8 record in 20 appearances, while Summer Delaneuville leads the Lady Lions with a 2.39 earned run average. Schwartz has thrown over 100 innings, while the remainder of the SLU staff has combined to throw less than 80. As a team, Southeastern has posted a 5.91 earned run average with 105 strikeouts and only one shutout on the season.
LSU is 7-0 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana, with all seven previous meetings coming in Baton Rouge. Four of the previous wins by the Tigers have come via a shutout and only two have been decided by less than six runs. Girouard is 49-1 all-time against Southeastern Louisiana, including a 6-0 record at LSU.
This weekend, the Tigers return home to take on Auburn in a three-game SEC series. The purple and gold will begin with a doubleheader against AU on Saturday at 1 p.m. The series will conclude with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The final game of the series will be televised on Cox Sports Television in Baton Rouge on cable channel 37.
GAME FACTS: No. 11 LSU Tigers (35-5) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (9-21)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, April 5 – 6 p.m.
RANKINGS:
LSU (#11 NFCA/USA Today Coaches Poll, #12ESPN/USA Softball Poll)
Southeastern Louisiana (Not Ranked)
STADIUM: North Oak Park
RADIO: The X – 104.5/104.9 FM.
TELEVISION: None.
INTERNET: Audio broadcast and live stats in the Geaux Zone powered by USAgencies at www.LSUsports.net
SERIES RECORD: LSU leads 7-0.