SCHEDULE CHANGES ANNOUNCED FOR EASTON PURPLE & GOLD CHALLENGE
BATON ROUGE — Due to issues beyond its control, the sixth-ranked LSU softball team is announcing changes to the Easton Purple & Gold Challenge schedule for this weekend.
The Arkansas-Pine Bluff softball team was forced to withdraw from the tournament, which required changes be made to the schedule. The tournament format has now been changed from a bracket championship format to a straight double-round robin format.
On Friday, LSU’s game times will remain the same as the Tigers take on Southern Miss at 3:30 p.m., before facing Louisiana Tech at 5:45 p.m. On Saturday, LSU will move it’s games up one time spot as the Tigers take on Troy at 11:15 a.m. and Southern Miss at 1:30 p.m. On the final day of competition, LSU will face Troy at 11:15 a.m. and close out competition against Louisiana Tech at 1:30 p.m.
The tournament champion will now be based on specific guidelines for tie-breakers that were already in place to seed the teams in the bracket championship format.
Revised Easton Purple & Gold Challenge Schedule
Friday, Feb. 23
1:15 p.m. Troy vs. Southern Miss
3:30 p.m. Southern Miss vs. LSU
5:45 p.m. LSU vs. Louisiana Tech
8 p.m. Troy vs. Louisiana Tech
Saturday, Feb. 24
9 a.m. Southern Miss vs. Louisiana Tech
11:15 a.m. Troy vs. LSU
1:30 p.m. LSU vs. Southern Miss
3:45 p.m. Louisiana Tech vs. Troy
Sunday, Feb. 25
9 a.m. Southern Miss vs. Troy
11:15 a.m. LSU vs. Troy
1:30 p.m. Louisiana Tech vs. LSU
3:45 p.m. Louisiana Tech vs. Southern Miss
BATON ROUGE — After a weekend on the road in Houston, the sixth-ranked LSU softball team returns home to host the Easton Purple & Gold Challenge this weekend at Tiger Park.
As part of the “All-Access” weekend, fans showing a ticket from the men’s basketball game against Florida on Saturday or the women’s basketball game against Alabama on Sunday will receive free admission to Tiger Park for the Purple & Gold Challenge.
The Tigers (11-1) dropped their first game of the season against No. 24 Southern Illinois last Sunday, snapping an 11-game winning streak for LSU.
“I had been fairly pleased so far this season up until our last game, and it is a hard chore for me to be pleased” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “Then we hit in a bump in the road. I’m disappointed that we let all the uncontrollables control our game. We gave up four home runs in that game and ultimately you can never defend the ball that goes out of the yard.
“We met a game Southern Illinois team that came in swinging out of their socks and with a small ballpark, four balls went out. We now have to learn from our mistakes and go forward. It happened so quickly and we seemed to be out of it, but to their credit, the kids never stopped trying until the end and we had the tying run at the plate in the last inning.”
Along with Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Louisiana Tech, LSU is hosting Southern Miss (3-4) and Troy (6-0) as part of the three-day tournament, which beings on Friday at 11 a.m. and concludes with the championship game on Sunday at 2 p.m.
The tournament features round robin play on Friday and Saturday and wraps up with championship play on Sunday. Friday’s other game includes Arkansas-Pine Bluff against Southern Miss at 11 a.m., Southern Miss vs. Troy at 1:15 p.m. and Troy against Louisiana Tech at 8 p.m.
“We have a good tournament this weekend that I think can get us back on track,” said Girouard. “Hopefully the weather will cooperate and it looks like it will. This is a chance for us to rebound and learn from the loss last weekend.”
Senior Leslie Klein had a great week at the plate for the Tigers in their mid-week game against UL-Monroe and at the Houston Crowne Plaza Invitational. The two-time All-American outfielder went 11-for-23 (.478) with three doubles, two home runs, six stolen bases and 10 RBIs in five games.
In addition, junior catch Killian Roessner had an outstanding week for the Tigers. The Manasquan, N.J., native was 7-for-12 (.583) at the plate with three doubles, a home run and five RBIs. She is currently tied with Kristen Hobbs for the best batting average this year at .450.
As a team, the Tigers are batting at a remarkable .343 clip. Seven players are hitting .300 or above, including four over .400, while the Tigers have recorded an Southeastern Conference-best 22 doubles, two triples and a league-best 15 nine home runs in just their first 12 games. Unfortunately, LSU has also left 86 runners on base in seven games, which averages out to over 7.2 a game.
Sophomore Dani Hofer went 2-0 last week, recording her second collegiate no-hitter in a five-inning win over Missouri State. In addition, she came back to throw a six-inning one-hitter against Indiana. For the year, she is 4-0 with a pair of shutouts and 55 strikeouts in five appearances with a 1.40 ERA.
Senior All-American Emily Turner is 4-1 for the season, with her only loss coming against the Salukis. The right-hander from Chula Vista, Calif., has posted a shutout and 42 strikeouts in her five appearances with a 1.53 ERA. Junior Tiffany Garcia threw her third career no-hitter in her first appearance of the year against Centenary, while freshman Cody Trahan threw a complete-game one-hitter against UL-Monroe last week.
As a team, the Tigers have a 1.12 earned run average and are allowing opponents to hit just .133 against them. In addition, LSU pitchers have struck out 120 batters, which averages out to over 10 strikeouts per seven innings.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff comes into the Purple & Gold Challenge still seeking its first win of the season after dropping a doubleheader at Ouachita Baptist during the week. The Tigers are 1-0 all-time against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, with the only meeting coming in a 15-0 win in five innings last year as part of the same tournament. LSU is all-undefeated all-time against SWAC opponents, going 22-0 in the last 10 seasons.
Louisiana Tech enters the tournament after taking a doubleheader from Texas-Arlington during the week. The Lady Techsters won their first five games before falling in four of their last eight. LSU is 8-0 all-time against Louisiana Tech. The last time the pair met, the Tigers won, 3-0 and 3-2 in the 2004 Purple & Gold Challenge. LSU holds a 12-1 record all-time against Western Athletic Conference opponents. For her career, head coach Yvette Girouard is 28-30 all-time against the Lady Techsters, including a 2-0 record at LSU.
In the game against Louisiana Tech, the Tigers will also bring their 46-game winning streak against Louisiana schools. The last time LSU lost to an in-state rival was April 18, 2001, when the Tigers fell to UL-Lafayette, 2-1. In the program’s history, LSU is 99-4 all-time against state schools, with three of the four losses coming against the Lady Cajuns.
Southern Miss enters the Purple & Gold Challenge with a 3-4 record. The Golden Eagles lost their first three, but have won three of their last four. LSU is 14-4 all-time against Southern Miss, having won the last 10 meetings dating back to the 2000 season when the Tigers lost to the Golden Eagles in the NCAA Regional championship game. LSU holds a 23-5 record all-time against Conference USA opponents. For her career, head coach Yvette Girouard is 39-3 all-time against the Golden Eagles, including a perfect 10-0 record at LSU.
Troy comes into the Easton Purple & Gold Challenge undefeated at 6-0. The Trojans won the Lion Classic tournament title in the first weekend of the season at Southeastern Louisiana. Troy then knocked off Georgia Tech last week. LSU is 3-0 all-time against the Trojans, including a pair of wins, 2-0 and 8-0, last year in the Oklahoma/Nike Invitational. The Tigers hold a 23-3 record all-time against Sun Belt Conference opponents. For her career, head coach Yvette Girouard is 4-0 all-time against Troy, including a 3-0 record at LSU.
This will be the seventh consecutive year the Tigers have hosted the Purple & Gold Challenge. LSU has won five of the six previous tournaments – the sixth was called due to weather. The Tigers are 27-2 all-time in the Purple & Gold Challenge. Last season, LSU went undefeated at 4-0 in tournament play, in a rain-shortened tournament, outscoring its opponents, 36-1 over 24 innings.
The Tigers will return to action at home next week as LSU hosts Alcorn State in a doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 4 p.m. Next weekend, the Tigers will face their biggest test of the short season as LSU travels to Seattle for the University of Washington Tournament. The Tigers will take on host and 15th-ranked Washington on Saturday at 3:45 p.m. (CT) in addition to a pair of games against Portland State and North Dakota State in the three-day round robin tournament.