BATON ROUGE — The No. 7-ranked LSU softball team opens the 2008 season this weekend with the Easton Tiger Classic at Tiger Park, beginning with games against St. John’s at 3:30 p.m. and Ball State at 5:45 p.m. on Friday.
Along with St. John’s and Ball State, the Tigers are hosting Chattanooga and Nicholls State 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.
“We have been practicing for what feels like forever,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “This team is just so ready to get the season started. It has been a pleasure for me to walk to the field and encounter, embrace and coach this team. They are a low-maintenance group that is just fun to be around. We have the talent and now it is about execution. But, it is also about attitude. This team has the correct attitude.”
The tournament features round robin play on Friday and Saturday and wraps up with championship play on Sunday. Friday’s other game includes St. John’s against Chattanooga at 11 a.m., Chattanooga vs. Nicholls State at 1:15 p.m. and Nicholls State against Ball State at 8 p.m.
“We are facing teams at home this weekend that have never been to Tiger Park and that is always interesting to see,” said Girouard. “We welcome a very good tournament field in Chattanooga, St. John’s, Ball State and Nicholls. Hopefully the weather will hold out and we will have some exciting softball all weekend long.”
The Tigers are also beginning their final season in the original Tiger Park. LSU will move to its new home next season. The new stadium will be located on Skip Bertman Drive, across from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and adjacent to the LSU Women’s Soccer Complex. The stadium is expected to be completed in time for the Tigers to play their first game in the new facility in the spring of 2009.
“Of course we are saying good bye to Tiger Park,” said Girouard. “We are giving it a face lift because we are hosting the SEC Championships this year.”
The new Tiger Park will feature 1,289 seats? including 587 chair-back seats? and the capability of accommodating 1,200 more fans on an outfield berm. The softball stadium will also feature first-class team facilities, including a locker room, team lounge, meeting facility, training facility, equipment room, indoor batting cages and umpire locker rooms.
Last season, the Tigers averaged a school-record attendance of 824 in 21 dates at Tiger Park. For the second-straight season, LSU also recorded 30 wins at home, going 30-4 on the year. The Tigers own a spectacular 308-45 record in 11 seasons at the original Tiger Park.
The Tigers return NFCA first-team All-American and Diamond Sports National Catcher of the Year Killian Roessner and All-South Region selections Dani Hofer and Jazz Jackson. LSU ranked fourth nationally in win-loss percentage last season, second in earned run average, eighth in doubles per game and posted top 50 rankings in scoring, batting average, slugging percentage, home runs per game, stolen bases per game and fielding percentage.
Along with Hofer, the Tigers have three outstanding pitchers to go to in the circle. Tiffany Garcia returns for her senior season after being a reliable reliever for the last two years. Cody Trahan will be called upon to step into a starter’s role this year, while LSU is bringing in South Carolina Gatorade Softball Player of the Year Casey Faile.
Despite having to replace two starters in the infield, the Tigers have a wealth of experience and talent to make the transition much easier. Shannon Stein will remain at second base for the second season, while Tayl’r Hollis makes the move to shortstop from third base. A career utility player who has seen action at five different positions in her career, Erika Sluss will take over at first base. Freshman Jessica Mouse will immediately step in and start at third base.
The 2008 outfield returns two of its three starters, including Jackson in centerfield with Quinlan Duhon or Ashley Applegate in left and Dee Dee Henderson or Rachel Mitchell in right field. The Tigers also add speedsters Tiffany Shaw for depth.
The Tigers are 10-1 all-time in season openers, including an 8-0 record at Tiger Park. The Tigers’ only season opening loss was a 5-3 loss to Illinois to open the 2005 season at the UNLV Softball Classic. Last season, LSU topped Memphis, 3-1, in the season opener as part of the Easton Tiger Classic. In 11 season openers, LSU has outscored its opponents 105-9 overall, and has posted seven shutouts.
This will be the ninth year LSU has hosted the Tiger Classic. The Tigers have won six of the eight previous tournaments. LSU is 40-6 all-time in the Tiger Classic. Last season, the Tigers swept through the Tiger Classic, winning all six games on its way to the tournament championship. The Tigers outscored their opponents 34-6 with one run-rule win and an extra-inning win in the championship game.
This will be the first meeting between the Tigers and Ball State, St. John’s and Chattanooga. LSU is 11-1 all-time against Nicholls State, including a 7-1 record at home and a 4-0 record in Thibodaux. The Tigers lost the first meeting, 3-0, in 1998, but have won the last 11 meetings since. Head coach Yvette Girouard is 68-19 all-time against Nicholls, including a 10-0 record at LSU.
The Tigers continue tournament play on Saturday with games against Nicholls State at 1:30 p.m. and Chattanooga at 3:45 p.m. LSU will participate in bracket play on Sunday as the tournament concludes with the championship game at 2 p.m.
The Tigers host Southeastern Louisiana next Tuesday at 6 p.m. before traveling to the Palm Springs Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., next weekend. LSU will take on No. 1-ranked Arizona, No. 6-ranked Northwestern and No. 17 Cal State Fullerton in the prestigious three-day tournament.
2008 Easton Tiger Classic
Friday, February 15
11 a.m. St. John’s vs. Chattanooga
1:15 p.m. Chattanooga vs. Nicholls State
3:30 p.m. LSU vs. St. John’s
5:45 p.m. Ball State vs. LSU
8 p.m. Nicholls State vs. Ball State
Saturday, February 16
9 a.m. Ball State vs. Chattanooga
11:15 a.m. St. John’s vs. Ball State
1:30 p.m. LSU vs. Nicholls State
3:45 p.m. Chattanooga vs. LSU
6 p.m. Nicholls State vs. St. John’s
Sunday, February 17
9:30 a.m. No. 2 seed vs. no. 3 seed
11:45 a.m. No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 seed
2 p.m. Championship Game