The No. 11 LSU softball team begins its final homestretch of the 2013 regular season today, with game one of the series against Southeastern Conference newcomer No. 12 Missouri.
Today’s and Saturday’s games are both set to begin at 6 p.m., and Sunday’s rubber match is slated for 1 p.m. Saturday’s game will be LSU’s annual “Strikeout Ovarian Cancer” game in which LSU will wear teal jerseys to raise awareness for ovarian cancer.
Missouri (24-6, 9-5 SEC) and LSU (36-9, 11-4 SEC) aren’t strangers to one another. The two teams met in the 2012 NCAA Columbia Super Regional, where LSU eliminated Missouri to earn a trip to the Women’s College World Series.
LSU hasn’t lost an SEC series all season, but that streak will be put to the test this weekend against Missouri — the highest-ranked opponent LSU has hosted for a three-game series yet this season.
“Everyone has been looking forward to the teal game, and we’re all really excited to play against another really good team,” said LSU freshman shortstop Bianka Bell. “It’s nice to be at home, but we just have to keep things simple.”
Missouri started the season 22-2, garnering top-10 national rankings, and the Tigers are scuffling as of late, dropping back-to-back series against Alabama and Arkansas.
Missouri boasts a league-leading .316 team batting average in conference games, but pitching was an issue in the two series losses. In the six games against Alabama and Arkansas, Missouri pitchers allowed more than six runs per game.
LSU, on the other hand, has won eight of its last 10 games, including a series win against Arkansas and No. 13 Texas A&M. In each of LSU’s last three games, the Tigers have scored at least seven runs.
Sophomore outfielder and leadoff hitter A.J. Andrews has led the offensive charge of late, hitting .486 with 11 RBIs in her last 10 games.
In LSU’s most recent 7-1 victory against McNeese State on Wednesday, Andrews crossed the plate a career-best three times on a three-for-five night from the plate in which she also drove in two RBIs.
“[Andrews] can just do so many different things,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “She’s so deadly from the plate, and if she gets on base, she’s going to run all over you.”
Missouri is just the first of two home series LSU will host against top-25 opponents. No. 4 Alabama will travel to Baton Rouge next weekend to wrap up LSU’s home SEC schedule.
“This is the reason why girls come to LSU — to play against top-ranked opponents,” Torina said. “We get two of them in the next weeks at home, and it’s just nice to get to face them with the Tiger fans’ help.”
