OXFORD, Miss. — The ninth-ranked LSU softball team hits the road this weekend to open Southeastern Conference play at Ole Miss, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The series can be heard on the LSU Radio Network in Baton Rouge on The X – 104.5/104.9 and in the GeauxZone powered by USAgencies. Live statistics from all three games will also be available on the official LSU athletics website, LSUsports.net.
The Tigers (22-3, 0-0 SEC) have matched the best start in school history, tying 2006 team, which began the year 25-3. The Rebels (8-13, 0-0 SEC) have won four of their last five games after losing six of their previous seven.
“We are very thrilled to be starting the SEC season,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We feel like this is the exciting part of the schedule, when we get to play the familiar opponent. It’s like a back-yard battle with all the opponents that Tiger fans are familiar with.”
LSU will continue to play with several key member of the team out due to injury and several other players shifted around in unfamiliar roles. With the loss of Tayl’r Hollis, Lindsey Hope and Erika Sluss at third, left fielder Rachel Mitchell will be stepping into that position. With the loss of Shannon Stein and Sluss at second, Vanessa Soto shifts back to that position after starting at first this year. Catcher Kristen Hobbs makes the move to first, while Jazz Jackson fills in for Mitchell in left field.
“We’ll go into this weekend still pretty crippled and hobbled, but we’ve just got to fight through it,” said Girouard. “We’ve got to pitch better and hit better and hopefully we’ll be aggressive and things will be very positive for us.
Last week, the Tigers swept a doubleheader from Alcorn State, dominating the Lady Braves, -3 and 12-0 in a pair of run-rule wins. LSU then earned two shutout wins over Portland State, 7-0 and 8-0 in five innings, to start play in the Husky Softball Classic in Seattle. The Tigers then dropped a heartbreaker, 3-1, in nine innings to No. 10 Washington, before falling, 6-3, in the tournament finale to the Huskies.
Four Tigers were named to the Husky Softball Classic All-Tournament team, including Dee Dee Henderson, Leslie Klein, Killian Roessner and Emily Turner. Roessner also went on to be named the Southeastern Conference and LSWA Louisiana Hitter of the Week.
For the season, Roessner leads the team and ranks second in the SEC with a .510 batting average. The junior catcher also leads the league with a .571 on base percentage and is tied for first in the SEC with nine doubles. Jackson ranks fourth in the league with a .493 batting average and is tied for first with 26 runs scored. Klein ranks eight in the SEC with a .468 average, while tying with Roessner for the league lead in doubles with none.
As a team, the Tigers ranks second in the conference with a .362 batting average and lead the league with a .450 on base percentage. LSU also leads the league with 179 runs scored, 156 RBIs, 46 doubles and ranks second with 26 home runs.
Freshman Lauren Grill leads Ole Miss with a .356 batting average, including a team-best seven home runs, three doubles and 12 RBIs. Senior Mary Jane Callahan leads the Rebels with 14 RBIs, while hitting .340 with four doubles and two home runs. As a team Ole Miss is hitting .273 on the season with 23 doubles, three triples and 18 home runs.
In the circle, junior Tiffany Garcia is 4-0 on the year with a 0.84 earned run average, while freshman Cody Trahan is also undefeated at 2-0 with a spotless 0.00 ERA. Sophomore Dani Hofer is 8-1 with a 1.53 earned run average, including a team-best 99 strikeouts in 55 innings. Turner is 8-2 on the year with a 1.31 ERA and 85 strikeouts. As a team, LSU has a 1.20 ERA with 12 shutouts, while holding opponents to a meager .131 batting average.
Callahan leads the Rebels with a 5-4 record in the circle and a 1.32 earned run average. Tara Willitt is 3-1 with a 3.35 ERA, followed by Becky Nye, who is winless at 0-8 with a 4.35 earned run average. As a team the Rebels have recorded a 2.82 ERA with two shutouts and 112 strikeouts.
Last season the Tigers swept the three game series against Ole Miss, defeating the Rebels 6-1, 2-1 and 10-0 in Oxford. The Tigers are 32-2 all-time against Ole Miss, and have won 25 straight over the Rebels. LSU is 16-1 against Ole Miss in Baton Rouge and 16-1 against the Rebels in Oxford. For her career, Girouard is 22-0 all-time against Ole Miss, including an 18-0 record at LSU.
LSU is 9-1 all-time in SEC openers, including a 4-1 record on the road. The Tigers dropped their only SEC opener in school history, 4-3, to South Carolina on the road in 2005. The Tigers have outscored their opponents 61-17 in conference openers. LSU also dropped its only SEC opening series in 2005, losing 2-of-3 to the Gamecocks, after winning the previous eight opening series. The Tigers have now combined for a 27-5 record in SEC-opening series. The Tigers’ only losses were single games against Auburn in 2000, Florida in 2001 and Tennessee in 2003.
SERIES FACTS
LSU Tigers (22-3, 0-0 SEC) at Ole Miss Rebels (8-13, 0-0 SEC)
DATE/TIME
Saturday, March 10 ? 1 p.m. (DH)
Sunday, March 11 ? 1 p.m.
STADIUM
Ole Miss Softball Complex in Oxford, Miss.
RADIO
LSU Sports Radio Network (WNXX-FM, The X -104.5/104.9 in Baton Rouge)
INTERNET
Live stats at LSUsports.net
TV
None
SERIES RECORD
LSU leads 32-2