One Southeastern Conference shutout is good. Three is sheer dominance.The unhittable Tiger pitching staff led the No. 14 LSU softball team (21-4, 3-0) to three straight shutouts at South Carolina (9-13, 0-5) this weekend. “I felt like a baseball coach,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “We could go with a starter for each game, and they finished every game.”LSU outscored South Carolina, 24-0, during the weekend series, increasing its win streak to 16 games.The Tigers completed the sweep of South Carolina, 10-0, in six innings Sunday. Freshman pitcher Rachele Fico (8-2) tossed seven strikeouts in the complete-game win.”We worked really hard in the circle,” Girouard said. “You can’t ask for too much more than that. It’s really coming alive.”Sophomore first baseman Anissa Young hit a sacrifice fly to right field in the first inning to put the Tigers up, 1-0. She followed that with a RBI double in the third inning for a 2-0 LSU lead.Young recorded another RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. The Tigers took advantage of a Gamecock error after an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Courtney Hollier, and LSU stretched the lead to 5-0.”I’ve been learning my position as a four hitter,” Young said. “I know what I’ve got to do to get the ball in play.”Freshman shortstop Allison Falcon led off the sixth inning with a solo home run to left field, and the Tigers reached double digits after scoring four more runs in the inning.Senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge went 4-for-4 and scored four runs in the game.LSU also dismantled South Carolina, 9-0, in six innings in game two of the Saturday series.”We took the preseason to get the kinks out,” Young said. “Now we know it’s time to start rolling.”Sophomore pitcher Brittany Mack (5-2) delivered another brilliant Tiger pitching performance, tossing a complete game one-hitter.”If somebody gets in trouble, we’ve got great options coming out of the bullpen,” Girouard said. “But we didn’t need that this weekend.”Senior left fielder Rachel Mitchell and Shortridge knocked in three RBIs a piece and combined for five hits. Girouard said Shortridge and Mitchell need to stay hot as the SEC continues.”They have to have very good seasons,” Girouard said. “They started the SEC off with a bang.”Sophomore catcher Morgan Russell went 3-for-3 with three singles and one RBI in game two.The Gamecocks committed three errors, and the Tigers made them pay with three multi-run innings. All four South Carolina pitchers gave up at least two runs.Senior pitcher Cody Trahan delivered another scoreless performance in leading LSU past South Carolina, 5-0, in the first game of the weekend series.”Team chemistry has been great throughout the season,” Trahan said. “Right now, that’s showing on the field. Everything’s just finally coming together.”Trahan (6-0) saw her ERA drop to 0.18 against the Gamecocks as she tossed eight strikeouts and surrendered no walks.”We needed to come out and start the SEC off right, and we were able to do that this weekend,” Trahan said. “All pitchers were firing on all cylinders.”The Tigers scored two in the second inning courtesy of a RBI single by junior third baseman Jessica Mouse, who scored on a throwing error later in the inning.Young gave the Tigers a 5-0 lead with a three-run home run in the fifth inning.—Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]