No. 15 LSU travels to UL-Monroe tonight without the services of the Tigers’ star pitcher. Junior Dani Hofer remained sidelined with a brace around her inflamed right wrist as the team practiced Tuesday afternoon. “I want to be out there pitching with them, trying to help out with whatever I can,” Hofer said. “It’s hard to sit there watching them when I can’t do anything.” LSU softball coach Yvette Girouard said she is not sure how long Hofer will be out of action. Hofer said she expects to be back for the postseason, which begins May 8, but will miss at least a week – including this weekend’s final three home games in Tiger Park. LSU (34-14, 12-10) has eight games remaining before closing out the regular season May 4 at South Carolina. Hofer’s most recent action came in the Tigers’ first game at No. 11 Tennessee on Saturday. She allowed four runs before recording an out. Girouard said Hofer has been dealing with the injury for some time. “She tweaked it in January,” Girouard said. “I guess she was trying to gut it out for the team and for herself, but I think it has never really felt great. Within the last month it’s been pretty bad, which I think explains why her performance has been so off this year.” Hofer is 18-7 with a 1.90 ERA and 52 total runs allowed through 48 games. She went 24-3 with a 1.36 ERA and 44 total runs allowed in 67 games in 2007. Girouard hopes the Tigers’ other pitchers will take on more responsibility with Hofer out of the rotation. “They better. They need to,” Girouard said. “I mean, they were brought here to pitch, so pitch.” Freshman Cody Faile will make her fifth career start tonight against the Warhawks. “I have to step it up a little because there is a little extra pressure,” Faile said. “But I know I have my team behind me.” Girouard pulled the team together behind the first base dugout after practice Tuesday to talk about the home stretch of the Tigers’ final season in Tiger Park. The final three games in Tiger Park will take place this weekend against Arkansas, and LSU will host the Southeastern Conference tournament May 8-10. The Tigers, who began SEC play 8-0, have gone 4-10 in their past 14 conference games. LSU is currently fourth in the SEC, four games ahead of eighth-place South Carolina. The top eight teams in the final standings make the SEC tournament.
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Softball: Hofer expected to miss at least a week — 4:07 p.m.
By Jerit Roser
April 22, 2008