The LSU softball team will continue its extended home stint with a midweek doubleheader against Georgia Southern tonight, just two days after sweeping Kentucky in the Tigers’ Southeastern Conference home opener this weekend.
The defending Southern Conference champions will attempt to knock LSU off its five-game winning streak when the Eagles roll into Tiger Park on Tuesday on the heels of their four-loss weekend at the Florida State Tournament.
But according to LSU coach Beth Torina, Georgia Southern could provide an unexpected challenge during the midweek matchup.
“There’s no question — if we take Georgia Southern lightly, we’re going to end up on the losing end,” Torina said. “They’re well-coached. They have two really solid pitchers and maybe even more that I don’t even know about. They’re a solid program, and we’re going to have to show up Tuesday and grind it out and really play two tough games.”
Georgia Southern pitcher Sarah Purvis is the Eagles’ stud on the mound, boasting 110 strikeouts and a 2.08 ERA this season — 28 strikes and .38 ERA behind Tiger leader senior Rachele Fico.
Fico received a relatively relaxed weekend against Kentucky, only throwing 170 pitches in 10-and-a-third innings as compared to 326 pitches thrown in 21 innings in the team’s trip to Mississippi State two weeks ago.
This will also be the first time in program history the Tigers and Eagles meet each other on the softball diamond. However, this will be the 11th time Georgia Southern has faced a Louisiana school — totaling a 4-7 record — in its 26-year history.
LSU is coming off a three-game sweep of Kentucky in which the Tigers outscored the Wildcats 14-6, including two come-from-behind, last-inning wins.
“It’s definitely exciting to get a sweep because it is very hard,” said LSU sophomore A.J. Andrews. “We’re just very proud of ourselves. We’ve come a long way as a team, and I think we’ve only gotten better each game. That just pumps us up even more to go out on Tuesday and win those two games as well.”
Andrews slapped the game-winning, two-run single to shallow right field, propelling the Tigers to a 3-2 lead late in the sixth inning of their final match against Kentucky.
First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday in Tiger Park.
