The LSU softball team opened the fall season last weekend with four victories in the LSU Fall Collegiate Classic, the first of two this season.
The Lady Tigers began the fall opener with a pair of wins against Louisiana College and LSU Eunice, respectively, winning the games, 11-0 and 13-6.
LSU concluded the two-day tournament with an 8-3 victory over Nicholls State and a 7-0 shutout of Southeastern Louisiana.
The Tigers’ offense crushed 52 hits and recorded a .464 batting average. Overall, the team recorded 39 runs, 20 stolen bases and 11 extra base hits.
LSU coach Yvette Girouard was impressed with the team’s tournament performance.
“It’s about what I expected after two weeks of practice,” Girouard said. “We have a lot of players out, but I was very pleased with a lot of our young players. We tried to really address the concept of speed in our offense, and I think that we’re going to be a lot of fun to watch.”
Sophomore pitcher Rachele Fico garnered 17 strikeouts in her 10 innings atop the mound. Girouard said Fico played well in the opening tournament and that she anticipates the young pitcher will continue to succeed.
“The sky is unlimited for Fico,” Girouard said. “She’s a very bright young talent and one that we’re going to lean on heavily.”
In 2010, Fico became the only freshman pitcher in Southeastern Conference history to earn the league’s best ERA after ending the season with an SEC-best 1.15 ERA. Fico was awarded SEC Co-Freshman of the Year honors and was selected for All-SEC and NFCA All-South Region First-Team.
Last season, the Lady Tigers captured a runner-up finish at the SEC Tournament and made their 12th NCAA Regional appearance. The team also recorded a program-best 24-game winning streak and ended the season with an overall 45-16 record.
The 2011 roster consists of six newcomers in addition to the returning 13 letterwinners, six of which earned postseason accolades.
Girouard said she is pleased with the depth and talent the freshman players have contributed to the team.
“The little guys on our team played bigger than their real stature,” Girouard said.
LSU will host the second edition of the LSU Fall Collegiate Classic Oct. 23 and 24 at Tiger Park. The Tigers will face off against Northwestern State, Louisiana-Monroe, Chipola CC and Faulkner State.
Girouard said the tournaments serve as trial runs for the spring season.
“The fall is all about trying new positions and playing under a lot less pressure than the spring,” Girouard said. “We kind of already know what our veterans can do, so it’s interesting to watch the new kids come in and play.”