The LSU softball team last played McNeese State (19-8) on Feb. 25. At that time, the Tigers had a 6-4 record and had recently fallen out of the top 25.
LSU (23-8, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) won the contest, 2-0, as junior pitcher Rachele Fico tossed a one-hitter with six strikeouts and only one walk.
Since that game, the Tigers have gone 16-4 and have won their last seven games.
LSU is ranked No. 23 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and has received the most votes of any unranked team in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches poll.
Freshman infielder Dylan Supak said she has seen LSU improve steadily since the beginning of the season.
“Our pitchers are throwing better and better every day,” she said. “Our defense had a couple errorless games this weekend so that all contributes.”
The teams’ first meeting of the season was in Baton Rouge at Tiger Park, but senior left fielder Ashley Langoni said traveling to Lake Charles to play McNeese is another monster.
“Every time we go there, they bring all of Lake Charles to come out,” she said. “We’ve got to play them like any other SEC team. Otherwise, they’ll catch us off-guard.”
McNeese State pulled off early-season victories against then-No. 1 Arizona State, the defending national champions, and then-No. 17 Houston.
“They’ve had some big wins this year,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “They have a new coaching staff and a lot of energy over there in Lake Charles.”
Torina said the key to surviving on the road will be making no assumptions about the Cowgirls.
“We don’t ever want to relax,” she said. “We always want to make sure we’re working, even when we’re in a good spot. That way, we don’t ever fall.”
Despite Fico’s dominating performance in the teams’ previous matchup this season, Torina hadn’t decided on a starter for tonight’s game as of Tuesday’s practice.
“We’re going to see how everybody’s feeling after the weekend and we’ll make the decision after they throw [at practice],” Torina said. “We have three great options.”
Supak said she likes facing an opponent for the second time in a season.
“We’re really familiar with them,” she said. “We played them in the fall and we played them in the spring. They’re a good squad and they’re very scrappy.”
Freshman outfielder A.J. Andrews and sophomore utility player Jacee Blades have been leading the Tigers’ offense recently, combining for six RBIs in last weekend’s sweep of South Carolina.
“She’s been such a huge help for this team, and she’s done so many things to spark this offense,” Torina said of Blades. “I think she’s earned her way into the lineup, even when everyone is healthy.”
 
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Contact Albert Burford at [email protected]