Through the final stretch of the regular season, the LSU softball team can rely on two important facets of the team: senior pitchers Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper.
Since the duo became Tigers, the team’s identity shifted from an offensive powerhouse to a force to be reckoned with on the defensive side.
Hoover and Walljasper have been as dominant as ever in their final season at LSU.
Walljasper (11-3) currently sits at a staggering 0.74 ERA, and has thrown 94 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched. Walljasper recently set an LSU and SEC record for innings pitched in a game with 19 against the University of Mississippi. In those 19 innings, Walljasper gave up 0 earned runs.
“She has been phenomenal,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “She is the player every coach dreams of coaching. She is all that she is cracked up to be.”
Hoover (14-3) boasts a 0.97 ERA and has thrown for an astonishing 140 strikeouts in 108.1 innings.
“The fact that we have two as talented as them, it is tough for any school to say that they have one equal to what those guys are,” Torina said. “The fact that we have two arms like that is just an amazing thing for this program.”
With their experience, Hoover and Walljasper are able to help their team in more ways than just in the circle. For the younger players, Hoover and Walljasper have been mentors off the field as well.
“They have so much valuable experience,” Torina said. “I think it’s cool to see someone like Shelbi Sunseri turning to Carley Hoover and asking her what she’s thinking at what her mentality is on the mound. Those conversations are happening all the time. [The younger players] have some great role-models.”
“Frustration and failure in this game is always there,” Hoover said. “So just have fun through it, and have fun with each other in the moment through it. That’s what’s going to be more important at the end of the day, not a win or loss.”
No. 14 LSU has entered the most competitive stretch of its regular season schedule in Southeastern Conference play.
The SEC is consistently noted for its dominance in the softball world. All 11 teams made the 2017 postseason and currently 10 SEC teams rank in the Top 25.
In the past month, LSU has faced Auburn University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Missouri and Ole Miss. Over the next month, LSU will play No. 10 University of Tennessee, No. 9 Texas A&M University, No. 6 University of Florida and No. 19 University of Arkansas.
The Tigers have appeared in three straight Women’s College World Series, but have come up short in all three trips.
“Every year I’ve been ticked off when we head back from Oklahoma City,” Hoover said. “But this year is the last year to get it done. I think there’s a little more fire in us.”

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Caleb Bourque

LSU senior pitcher Allie Walljasper (25) pitches the ball during LSU’s 2-1 victory over University of Mississippi at Tiger Park on Friday, April 6, 2018.