LSU coach Beth Torina enters her seventh season with the softball program coming off a third straight Women’s College World Series.
“I’m proud to be at the helm and the state of the program that it is now, and I’m excited about what is in the future,” Torina said.
But Torina looks way more into the future than she does to the past. The future of the program focuses on getting new shoes out of the players she has right now rather than filling the shoes that was left by former All-Americans Sahvanna Jaquish and Bailey Landry.
“They were the only players on the team that understood what it felt like to not finish their year in the College World Series,” Torina said. “So they bought a different sense of urgency to our program.”
Torina’s main focus is to not let her players take anything for granted.
“It’s something that you hope that your kids don’t assume that they’re going to be there every year, because it’s so tough and so hard to get there,” Torina said.
Infield not yet set in stone
The winter weather in Baton Rouge the last couple of weeks has delayed live at-bats and a set lineup.
But despite not having an official lineup for the season, Torina is still confident about the depth of her team and giving different players opportunities.
“I think that you’re going to see a lot of faces for opening weekend,” Torina said. “We have a team with a lot of talent and a lot of different skills.”
Torina commends both the pitchers and catchers for stepping up and using different skills to help the team out.
For example, junior utility player Michaela Schlattman is reinventing herself as a catcher after not catching at her previous university.
Sophomore infielder Sydney Springfield, who recorded 41 RBIs as a true freshman, will also step up to the plate as a catcher this season.
“She said, ‘I can go back there. I can do it. I know the team needs it,’” Torina said. “She’s done some really cool things back there.”
Torina even spoke glowingly about senior pitchers Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper and is amazed at how their contrasting personalities help set apart the softball program from other softball programs across the country.
“If you watch them on the mound, Carley will give you a fist pump while Allie will give you a straight poker face,” Torina said. “The combination of them is a huge reason of why we are where we are.”
Freshmen and transfers will see huge roles
Torina expects to see freshman utility player Shelby Sunseri as more of a hitter than a pitcher in the early part of the season.
“She throws hard and does a lot of good things on the mound,” Torina said.
Freshman utility player CC Caccamise will also provide depth at the catching position.
Schlattman and junior infielder Becca Schulte are the two new transfer players this season after coming from Miami University and Butler Community College, respectively.
Schulte plays shortstop and second base while Schlattman plays anywhere that she’s asked to. Schlattman spent a lot of time shortstop last season back in Ohio.
Torina is already liking what she’s seeing from her transfers and sees them getting more action sooner rather than later.
“They both come with a ton of honors and a ton of success and experience,” Torina said. “They bring a lot to program, as well as to our lineup and to our team.”
 

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Aurianna Cordero

LSU softball coach Howard Dobson speaks to the media during softball media day in the Bill Lawton Room on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018.