When the semester ends and summer break begins for most LSU students, things get busier than ever for the LSU softball team.
As soon as finals week is over, the No. 23 Tigers will take a trip to Tuscaloosa, Ala. to compete in the Southeastern Conference Tournament.
There, LSU will likely take on No. 11 Georgia in hopes of making it to a NCAA Regional, then a NCAA Super Regional and, if all goes well, a College World Series.
But the first season with LSU coach Beth Torina at the helm was as much about maintaining the excellence former coach Yvette Girouard brought to the Tigers as it was about anything else.
The season started off with two losses, to Penn State and then-No. 15 Michigan, respectively.
Torina said she was glad her team didn’t have an easy path. “[Girouard] obviously thought very highly of this team, because she’s truly challenged us this year with the schedule that we have,” Torina said.
LSU struggled to find its pace early in the season, losing to unranked DePaul and staying under .500 until the third week of the season.
But the competition was stiff for the Tigers.
LSU faced five of the eight teams from the 2011 Women’s College World Series in this season’s slate, getting wins against then-No.23 Oklahoma State, then-No. 2 Alabama and then-No. 2 Florida.
The Tigers’ pitching has led the way this season.
Senior pitcher Brittany Mack, a 2011 Third Team All-American, was selected with the first overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch draft.
“It is such an unbelievable feeling to be honored with the opportunity to compete at one of the highest levels in the sport, and I’m hoping that I will be able to contribute to help expand the NPF’s greatness throughout the country,” Mack said. “Until then, I have unfinished business at LSU. ”
Junior pitcher Rachele Fico is sitting at the top of the NCAA with a 0.90 earned run average for the season.
The Tigers have struggled from the plate, with only three players batting above .244 on the season.
Senior left fielder Ashley Langoni has provided most of the offense for LSU this season.
Langoni started every game this season and leads the team with a .297 batting average, 10 doubles, six home runs, 29 RBIs and 42 walks, an LSU season record.
Langoni is one of seven seniors on the team.
 
____ Contact Albert Burford at [email protected]