As the LSU softball team addressed reporters at its official media day, one player’s name continued to come up.
There’s just one problem: that player no longer plays for the team.
The player, Rachele Fico, became one of the greatest in LSU softball history in her four years with the team. She was named to the NFCA All-America first team her junior and senior years while leading the Tigers to the Women’s College World Series in 2012.
The process of replacing Fico starts with senior pitcher Ashley Czechner, who emerged as the No. 2 starter for the team last season. Czechner appeared in 19 games in 2013, putting up a 12-1 record and a 2.64 earned run average.
“She kept us in the ballgame against anyone we put her up against,” coach Beth Torina said. “She did a great job for us against all these [Southeastern Conference] opponents. She has proven she can do it.”
For Czechner, the upcoming season marks the end of a long journey throughout her college career. After posting a 71-9 record in high school, Czechner was recruited and committed Maryland, but she ultimately transferred after her freshman season.
In her sophomore season, Czechner played closer to her South Carolina home at Chattanooga State Community College. That season, she led Chattanooga to its first ever NJCAA National Championship and earned NJCAA Pitcher of the Year.
Czechner finally arrived in Baton Rouge her junior year, and she said there is something about LSU that has made her feel at home.
“LSU has such a family environment, that’s one of the things that I really love about it,” Czechner said. “Maryland is such a good school; it’s just a very different atmosphere from LSU. I think that I thrive here more so than Maryland.”
There will be many people helping Czechner transition into her new role. The most important person helping her may be Fico herself, who is now with the team as a student coach.
Czechner said Fico, who is currently attending graduate school, brought experience and guidance to the pitching staff in the fall whenever Torina could not. Torina said having Fico’s mentality still with the team has made the transition much easier.
“It has been great for me because I am so close to [Fico]. I hated to see her go. She and I were really close,” Torina said. “I think she brings a lot to this program with who she is as a person and her character. It goes way beyond the numbers she put up.”
Czechner won’t be alone on the mound, of course, as LSU brings in Baylee Corbello and Kelsee Selman, two freshman pitchers who were highly recruited out of high school.
Corbello became well known at Sam Houston High School where she was chosen as a LSWA All-State First Team pick four straight years. The Lake Charles native also led her team to three consecutive state titles while winning the State Tournament Most Outstanding Player award all three years.
Selman made headlines of her own in Texas, where she amassed more than 400 strikeouts and an ERA under 0.75 in her final three seasons. She also led her high school to state titles in her junior and senior seasons, taking home state tournament MVP both seasons.
“Our pitching staff is just so good this year, I think we really, really complement each other,” Czechner said. “Baylee Corbello, she spins the ball so well and she has a great off-speed pitch. And then Kelsee Selman throws the ball so hard and her break is really unbelievable.”
Another important part of a pitcher’s success is their relationship with their catcher. Luckily for Czechner, 2014 will see the return of the catcher she played most with last season and a freshman with a great deal of potential.
Sophomore Kellsi Kloss was Czechner’s main catcher last season, while freshman Sahvanna Jaquish comes to the team after collecting 2012 and 2013 MaxPreps All-America First-Team honors.
Kloss said the catchers are the battery of the team and on the field; it is their job to keep the pitching staff in check.
Czechner will likely start for the Tigers for their season opener Thursday night against the Texas Longhorns at Tiger Park. Although she knows Fico’s success can’t be replicated, she can still continue a tradition of winning.
“You don’t replace a pitcher like Fico, she was just so phenomenal her whole four-year career here,” Czechner said. “We’re hopefully going to leave a legacy of our own in a different way”