The No. 11 ranked LSU softball team will attempt to play its first game in nearly six days when it hosts in-state rival Southeastern Louisiana in a single game tonight at 6:30 in Tiger Park.
The SLU game was one of three games rained out earlier this season. The Tigers rescheduled a doubleheader with McNeese State on Saturday, but the games were rained out again. LSU coach Yvette Girouard said the probability of playing tonight’s game is unlikely with a 70 percent chance of rain in the forecast.
“Hopefully we will be able to play a midweek game at Tiger Park,” Girouard said. “That has been a rare occurrence this season.”
The Tigers have not played since they swept Centenary in a doubleheader last Wednesday when junior transfer LaDonia Hughes led the team from the plate with a combined 5-for-7 effort in the sweep.
Girouard said the layoff has actually been a good thing for the team because many players have had time for bumps and bruises to heal. She said first baseman Christy Connor (finger), third baseman Julie Wiese (shin and thigh) and catcher Leigh Ann Danos (thumb) benefitted most from the time off.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Girouard said. “We were very tired. It gave us a chance to heal physically and mentally as well.”
The meeting will be the fourth between LSU (29-11) and SLU (11-21). The Tigers hold an all-time 3-0 advantage in the series after a 4-3 win over the Lions last season.
Girouard wants the Tigers to play with high intensity during the game despite LSU’s domination over SLU the past three years.
“We know that Southeastern is going to try to come in here and take a game from the Tigers like other in-state schools,” Girouard said. “They always give us a good game, and this should be no different.”
SLU shortstop Ashley Walker leads the team offensively with a .311 batting average, including 33 hits and nine stolen bases. She also has a .916 fielding percentage with 11 errors this season.
The Tigers face SLU pitcher Emily Stelly tonight. Stelly, a junior from Brusly, holds a 5-11 record with a 3.73 ERA and 53 strikeouts.
Kristin Schmidt (17-9) will start in the circle for LSU. The junior pitcher has a 0.92 ERA after pitching a complete-game no hitter against Centenary last week.