LSU center fielder LaDonia Hughes knows what it takes to win a national championship, and she hopes to be the catalyst in the Tiger softball team’s run toward the Women’s College World Series.
Hughes, a junior transfer, led Lake City Community College to the 2001 Junior College National Championship. She said the experience has helped her mentally this year with the Tigers but admits competition in the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Division are tougher.
“To some extent I think everybody on the team knows what it takes to win a championship,” Hughes said. “Yes, I went through [the national championship], and I know what it takes to win.”
The Tigers’ 8-6 SEC record matches the most losses by any LSU team in conference play. Hughes said the Tigers have all the tools to win the SEC West, which LSU has won every year since 1997 when softball was re-established as a sport in the SEC.
“The chemistry on our team is great. We just have to put everything together,” Hughes said. “Whenever we put it together, we will be unstoppable.”
LSU coach Yvette Girouard said Hughes has done her part for the Tigers this season. Hughes leads LSU this season with two triples, 16 stolen bases and is third on the team with a .285 batting average. She is also tied with three other Tigers for the team lead with a 1.000 fielding percentage on defense.
“She has played with true heart for us this season,” Girouard said. “I’m pleased with how she has anchored us on offense. On defense, she runs the show in the outfield. She has guts and heart, and she works hard.”
Hughes said the main reason for her success at the plate is her movement in the batting order, moving from leadoff hitter to the nine-hole. She said the bad experience of being last in the batting order made her more focused at the plate. The junior has worked her way up to the two-hole, where she went 5-for-7 against Centenary last Wednesday.
Girouard said moving Hughes from the leadoff position to the ninth was not a punishment but a strategical move.
“When things aren’t working you’ve got to try some things,” Girouard said. “Sometimes they get better pitches at number nine because they think they can’t hit.”
On defense, Hughes anchors the team in center field. Senior left fielder Megann Steege said Hughes brings fluidity to the team on both offense and defense. She said they encourage each other when one of them is struggling.
“When we start struggling, we talk to each other. We talk trash in the outfield saying, ‘This batter’s not getting on’,” Steege said. “She’s a very smooth player and ready to go all the time.”
Whether it is on offense or defense, Hughes wants to help LSU return to the WCWS for the first time since 2001.
“I think my job is just being the spark and making things happen,” Hughes said.