BATON ROUGE — The LSU softball team had five players named to the Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-South Region teams, it was announced on Wednesday, the most Tigers to earn All-Region honors since seven in 2004.
Catcher Killian Roessner earned first-team honors, while pitchers Emily Turner and Dani Hofer and outfielders Leslie Klein and Jazz Jackson earned second-team honors. All five student-athletes will now be eligible to earn All-America honors, which will be announced at the opening of the Women’s College World Series.
This is the first NFCA All-South Region honor for Roessner, who was named to the All-SEC second team last week. The junior catcher earned SEC Player of the Week honors once and Louisiana Hitter of the Week honors twice this season. Roessner broke the LSU single-season record and leads the SEC with 18 runners caught stealing. She also is tied for the league lead and the school single-season record with four runners picked off. In addition, at the plate she ranks in the top 11 in the SEC in batting average, slugging percentage and doubles.
A first-team All-SEC selection, Hofer is a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Week and a four-time Louisiana Pitcher of the Week this season. The sophomore from Safety Harbor, Fla., ranks 19th in the NCAA in earned run average as part of a Tiger pitching staff that ranks second in the nation in ERA. In addition, with a 23-2 record and two saves, Hofer ranks 30th nationally in wins and 77th in saves. This is the first all-region honor for Hofer, who has thrown a pair of no-hitters this season and ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
The NFCA and USA Softball National Player of the Week on May 2, this is the second All-Region honor for Turner, who was a third -team All-America selection last season. The senior ranks 15th in the NCAA in earned run average and 66th in wins and is among the top 10 in the SEC in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
A USA Softball National Player of the Year Top 25 finalist, Klein leads the SEC in doubles and ranks in the top 10 in the SEC in batting average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, hits, RBIs, triples, total bases and walks this season. The senior broke the LSU single-season doubles record in the SEC Tournament last weekend and has recorded the second most single season RBIs in school history. The career LSU record holder for slugging percentage, doubles, RBIs, total bases and multiple-RBI games has recorded separate 10-game, nine-game and eight-game hitting streaks this season. This is the third all-region honor for Klein, who earned All-America honors in 2004 and 2006.
Jackson is just the fifth LSU freshman in school history to earn All-Region honors. A second-team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman team selection, Jackson earned SEC Freshman of the Week and Louisiana Hitter of the Week honors this season. The Houston, Texas, native leads the team and ranks in the top 10 in the league in batting average and hits. She had a 13-game hitting streak snapped against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament, but has recorded hits in 15 of her last 17 games.
The Tigers will open NCAA Regional play on Thursday at 5 p.m. CT against Cal State Northrdige. If LSU wins, it will face the winner of the Stanford-Fresno State on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. The regional championship will begin at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, with the game being televised nationally on ESPN2 in Baton Rouge on cable channel 36.
2007 All-SOUTH REGION TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Monica Abbott, Pitcher, Tennessee
Chrissy Owens, Pitcher, Alabama
Killian Roessner, Catcher, LSU
Tonya Callahan, First Base, Tennessee
Lauren Parker, Second Base, Alabama
Brooke Marnitz, Shortstop, Kentucky
Kelley Montalvo, Third Base, Alabama
Holly Tankersley, Utility-Pitcher, UL-Lafayette
Chelsea Bramlett, Utility-Non Pitcher, Mississippi State
Lindsay Schutzler, OF, Tennessee
India Chiles, OF, Tennessee
Brittany Rogers, OF, Alabama
SECOND TEAM
Emily Turner, Pitcher, LSU
Dani Hofer, Pitcher, LSU
Angel Shamblin, Pitcher, Houston
Brooke Loudermilk, Pitcher, Tennessee-Chattanooga
Ragan Blake, Pitcher, Texas State
Nicole Henderson, Pitcher, Mississippi Valley State
Bonnie Bynum, Pitcher, Tennessee Tech
Shannon Doepking, Catcher, Tennessee
Charlotte Morgan, First Base, Alabama
Brooke Broadhead, Second Base, McNeese State
Beth Boden, Shortstop, Tennessee Tech
Jessica Valis, Shortstop, Houston
Jessica Rogers, Third Base, Texas-San Antonio
Candy Shumper, Third Base, Mississippi Valley State
Mary Jane Callahan, Utility-Pitcher, Ole Miss
Jordan Praytor, Utility-Non Pitcher, Alabama
Leslie Klein, OF, LSU
Jazz Jackson, OF, LSU
Hayle Guess, OF, Mississippi State
Katie Jones, OF, Texas-Arlington