No. 12 LSU softball faces McNeese to conclude non-conference schedule
Editor’s Note: The following is an official press release courtesy of LSU’s athletics department.
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 12/13 LSU (34-10) will have its final midweek game of the season to round out its non-conference schedule against McNeese (32-12) at 6 p.m. CT at Joe Miller Field in Lake Charles, La.
Tuesday’s game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Tom Hoefer and Ron Hayes on the call. Fans can hear Patrick Wright, the Voice of LSU Softball, on 107.3 FM in the Baton Rouge area.
The Tigers look to bounce back after falling in its three-game series at No. 21/24 Auburn last weekend, 2-1. LSU ranks No. 2 in the SEC with 358 hits and No. 3 in the league with a .312 batting average. The Tigers also have the third-lowest ERA at 1.97.
Junior infielder Danieca Coffey continues to lead the SEC with 59 hits and ranks No. 5 with a .418 batting average. Coffey also leads the Tigers with 34 runs scored and matches junior outfielder Ciara Briggs with a team-high nine stolen bases. Briggs has a .345 batting average, and her 49 hits ranks No. 6 in the SEC to go along with 32 runs scored.
Graduate infielder Georgia Clark is batting .305 with 36 hits and ranks No. 5 in the SEC with 32 walks. Clark has a team-high 10 home runs this season and adds 32 RBIs. Clark sits at No. 4 in LSU softball history with 40 career home runs, No. 3 with 121 career walks, and No. 10 with 151career RBIs.
Junior shortstop Taylor Pleasants is batting .324 this season with 41 RBIs (No. 7 in SEC) and has 36 hits, eight home runs and 25 runs scored. Pleasants ranks No. 5 in program history with 37 career home runs and No. 8 all-time with 159 career RBIs.
Freshman pitcher Sydney Berzon (12-4) ranks No. 8 in the SEC with 95 strikeouts and has a 1.67 ERA in 100.1 innings pitched. Berzon’s 95 punch outs are the 9th most in program history from a freshman.
Graduate pitcher Ali Kilponen is 10-5 in the circle and has a 2.26 ERA behind 86 strikeouts (No. 11 in the SEC). Kilponen has tossed 10 complete games with three shutouts and three saves in 96.0 innings pitched. Kilponen ranks No. 10 all-time in the program’s history with 54 career wins and her 448 career strikeouts ranks No. 9 in the program’s record book.
THE LINEUP
LSU is 52-12 all-time against McNeese, including a 6-2 win earlier this season on March 21 at Tiger Park. The Tigers have won 13 consecutive games against the Cowgirls and are 7-1 this season against teams from the state of Louisiana.
McNeese is on a six-game winning streak and boasts a 14-1 record at home. The Cowgirls most recently swept Nicholls State. McNeese is hitting .299 and has 329 hits this season. The Cowgirls’ pitching staff has a 2.04 ERA with 205 strikeouts and allows its opponents a .232 batting average.
Sophomore infielder Mariana Torres leads McNeese with a .336 batting average behind 38 hits and has a team-high of 10 doubles and 32 RBIs. Sophomore infielder Reese Reyna follows with a .331 average and senior outfielder Alayis Seneca is batting .328. Both have a team-high 39 hits. Reyna paces the team with 21 stolen bases and Seneca has 18 stolen bases.
Senior pitcher Whitney Tate (13-3) has a staff-low 1.49 ERA and has thrown 64 strikeouts while giving up 99 hits and 35 runs in 113.0 innings pitched. Junior pitcher Ashley Vallejo (12-7) has a 2.40 ERA but has a team-high 84 strikeouts in 90.1 innings pitched. Tate has thrown seven shutouts this season, while Vallejo has logged five shutouts.
ON DECK
LSU will host Mississippi State at Tiger Park April 22-24. Saturday, April 23 will be the annual Strikeout Ovarian Cancer Game when the SEC softball community unite, and all 13 teams participate by wearing teal for the “All for Alex” campaign to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox.
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For the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit http://www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can also follow the team on its social media outlets at www.facebook.com/lsusoftball and @lsusoftball on Instagram and Twitter.
