The No. 20 LSU softball team entered the 2009 season with hopes of greatness, but the team has endured many ups and downs throughout the season.One of the exciting aspects of the campaign was the opening of the new Tiger Park on Feb. 11 against McNeese State.LSU coach Yvette Girouard said the school had been promising her team a new stadium since she began coaching the Tigers in 2001.Now that the new park is built, the players and the coaches are in awe of it.”We’re all kind of in shock of the new field,” said sophomore third baseman Jessica Mouse. “The field is amazing.”The team posted a 19-8-1 record in Tiger Park’s first season.”The first year won’t exactly be a home-field advantage, but from there on out it will be,” Girouard said before the season.The Tigers started the season on the road in Honolulu, Hawaii for the Paradise Classic and enjoyed the great weather in Hawaii.”When I found out that we were going to go Hawaii my freshman year, I was very excited,” said freshman shortstop Juliana Santos. “We were very blessed to have the opportunity to come to Hawaii and enjoy this beautiful paradise.”However, when the team returned to the mainland, the weather was a factor throughout the season.The team has had 11 games rained out this season.”It’s just been an incredible year,” Girouard said. “We’ve seen a hurricane, snow and a tornado all in year. I’m pretty sure that’s what it is because I don’t think that was just wind that did all the damage to softball, football and Alex Box.”The Tigers also started the season with pitching concerns. Lone senior Dani Hofer has missed the whole season because of a wrist injury. Junior pitcher Cody Trahan had back surgery during the fall break and wasn’t fully cleared by the doctor until days before the South Carolina series April 25. Junior Baylor transfer Kirsten Shortridge had arm surgery prior to joining the team.”This pitching staff right now is truly piecemeal,” Girouard said in February. “Really the only healthy pitchers we have are a freshman in Brittany Mack and Casey Faile.”Hofer was honored as the only senior on the team during senior day April 26. Hofer was able to throw the first pitch of the game for a strike before exiting in the first inning.”I wish I could have been out there for the whole game,” Hofer said. “It’s been an honor to be here for the four years.”Girouard said  the team really missed out on a great pitcher this season because of Hofer’s injuries. Hofer had accomplished a lot while at LSU, including a 2008 ESPN preseason first-team All-American nomination and being named to the LSWA first-team All-Louisiana in 2007 and 2008.In Hofer’s absence, the Tigers have been led in the circle by Mack, Faile and Trahan. Mack leads the team with a record of 11-4, Faile leads the team with a 1.93 era and Trahan leads the team with 128 strikeouts.At the plate, the Tigers are led by Shortridge and junior Rachel Mitchell, who were named to the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year watch list.Shortridge leads the team with a .430 batting average and 24 stolen bases. Mitchell leads the team with 11 doubles and 36 RBI.LSU is currently second in the Southeastern Conference Western Division behind Alabama. The Tigers will play Tennessee in the first round of the SEC tournament Thursday in Knoxville, Tenn.——Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]