In the last of a three-part series previewing the LSU softball team, LSUsports.net takes a look at the outfield. Read part one of the series here and part two here
The Tigers are sure to be in good hands after the graduation of All-SEC and All-American performer A.J. Andrews, as LSU returns two starters in Emily Griggs and Bailey Landry, along with the returns of Alayna Falcon, Taylor Lockwood and Layna Savoie and addition of freshman Akiya Thymes.
After a strong freshman season, Landry showed no signs of a slump as a sophomore by leading the team with a .426 batting average and 89 hits en route to a second team All-America selection. The East Ascension product netted the longest hitting streak in program history at 21 games – six longer than the previous streak – while at one point reached base in 43 consecutive games as she earned second team All-SEC honors as well as making the regional and super regional teams.
On the other side of the outfield in left, Griggs made her name playing in 62 games with 61 starts in her inaugural season. The speedster was selected to the SEC All-Freshman team after hitting .343 on the year with 14 stolen bases which was second on the team, holding a .976 fielding percentage defensively.
As the only senior in the group, Falcon enters the season after playing in 16 games last year, earning 10 starts as a designated player and outfielder. Falcon hit her first career home run last season, clearing McNeese State’s scoreboard for the team’s fifth grand slam of the season on a night in which she drove in a career-high five.
Lockwood saw the most action of a reserve that did not have at least one start on the season, appearing in 24 games in 2015. The Walker native was driven in the most of the non-everyday starters, crossing the plate 10 times over the course of the year, holding a .200 batting average.
Now a junior, Savoie also returns as a seasoned outfielder and baserunner for the Tigers, scoring four times as a pinch runner.
The newest member of the group is Thymes, who heads across the river from Brusly and brings a .443 lifetime prep batting average to LSU. The niece of current track and field assistant coach Debbie Paris-Thymes, the three-sport prep athlete at Brusly is the all-time steals leader in the program’s history, being a first team all-district, all-metro and all-state selection for a program that won 105 games while she was there.
With the named above, players who could also see time in the outfield as well include Shemiah Sanchez, Amber Serrett and Elyse Thornhill.