LSU’s softball team will be glad for the small homestand that starts tonight against Southeastern Louisiana.The No. 18 Tigers (25-10-1) have played 23 games since the beginning of March with just 10 of those coming at home. Tonight’s doubleheader against the Lions (17-23) marks LSU’s first midweek home games since a pair of wins against No. 7 Alabama on March 18.”It’s always good to be home,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “We went down to Hammond and got rained out earlier this season. Their coach told me then he wouldn’t be opposed to coming to Tiger Park for a doubleheader to make up that rain out.”Southeastern will serve as much-needed preparation for what awaits LSU this weekend, a visit from No. 1 Florida. The Gators are 42-3 this season, while the Tigers are 2-3-1 in their past two Southeastern Conference series.”Florida is running away with the overall title. They’re the consensus No. 1 in the nation,” Girouard said. “I have a chance to vote every week [for the Top 25], and they’ve been my No. 1 the entire season.”Girouard said a huge key in all the Tigers’ upcoming games is freshman shortstop Juliana Santos, who earned SEC Freshman of the Week and Louisiana Sports Writers Association Hitter of the Week honors earlier this week.Santos has been her own wrecking crew in the past week. She provided the game-tying RBI and the game-winning run as a pinch hitter in last Tuesday’s win against Nicholls State. She hit .429 for the week and added three RBI in the Tigers’ series win against Arkansas.”I love that kid,” Girouard said. “She’s one of those kids that coaches love to coach … She’s huge for our lineup, and she’s going to have a great career as a Tiger.”Girouard pointed to LSU’s series with Tennessee as evidence of her efficiency. Santos went 1-for-11 from the plate against the Volunteers, and the Tigers finished the series with two losses and a draw.”I’m so happy she bounced back from one weekend,” Girouard said. “She got banged up pretty good in that Tennessee series.”The Lions sit second-to-last in the Southland Conference and face a tough task in ending a two-game losing streak.”We’re still tinkering with the lineup with all of the rain outs and injuries that we’ve had,” Girouard said. “You might see a huge tinkering against Southeastern.”The Tigers’ problems in the bullpen will play a significant role in how the week goes for LSU. Senior pitcher Dani Hofer is still unavailable and junior outfielder and pitcher Kirsten Shortridge injured her arm during the weekend. Shortridge’s injury likely won’t hinder her ability to play.”You’re going to see us use all four pitchers and continue to piecemeal it together,” Girouard said. “[Sophomore pitcher] Casey Faile along with [freshman pitcher] Brittany [Mack] and Kirsten will throw tomorrow night.”Junior pitcher Cody Trahan will rest against the Lions in order to start the weekend series against the Gators.”I don’t think this team is intimidated at all by Florida,” Girouard said. “Intimidation isn’t the problem. It’s getting stability and putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together.”–Contact David Helman at [email protected]