Now in her eighth season in Baton Rouge, LSU softball coach Beth Torina recorded her 500th career win on Friday night against Sam Houston State, as the Tigers posted a 12-0 no-hitter.
“It’s a really cool thing,” Torina said. “Not just because of the milestone, but because it makes me think about all the people that made this milestone happen.”
Following the win, former players put together a tribute video, which played on the big screen at Tiger Park. The love for Torina poured in on social media, with congratulatory tweets from former LSU football great Kevin Mawae, current players Shelby Wickersham and Maribeth Gorsuch and former softball players Shemiah Sánchez and Michaela Schlattman.
“She’s an incredible woman,” said sophomore catcher Morgan Cummins postgame. “I am so honored to say that she’s my coach. There is nobody like her.”
“Such a special night!!” sophomore pitcher Shelby Wickersham wrote. “So blessed to have the opportunity to play for this amazing woman! A great coach and an even better person. She is creating Tigers for life.”
Torina compiled her 500 victories in four years at Florida International and eight at LSU.
The Lady Tigers continued to add to Torina’s total throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, LSU thrashed Sam Houston State 20-4 in five innings. The Lady Tigers scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning. Pitcher Shelbi Sunseri had a bases-clearing double in addition to earning her third win of the season with a three-inning, no-earned-runs-allowed performance.
LSU shut out Belmont for the second time in two days in game two on Saturday with a 4-0 victory.
Gorsuch threw the program’s first perfect game, striking out a career-high 16 batters. The senior pitcher stuck out eight straight in a stretch from the second to fourth inning.
The Lady Tigers travel to Fullerton, California, this week to participate in the Judi Garman Classic. On Thursday, LSU will play Loyola Marymount and No. 25 Texas Tech. The weekend classic also includes matchups with No. 2 Washington and California.