With injuries hurting the LSU softball pitching staff and the loss of an All-American pitcher and outfielder, the four infielders may be the most solid group on the team.
Anchoring the group is shortstop Blair Smith, who head coach Yvette Girouard called possibly the best shortstop in the country. Girouard said Smith will surprise teams this year with her great defense and improved offense.
“Blair may never be a .320 hitter for us, but if she hits .260 for us, we will be more than pleased,” Girouard said. “She looks really good right now, she’s walking around with a lot of confidence.”
Smith, who hit .184 and had 9 RBIs last year, said she made an effort to get better at the plate during the offseason, including changing her swing and diet.
      “I just want to be a more consistent hitter,” Smith said. “I want my batting average to be a little higher.”
Julie Wiese (.269 batting average, 20 RBIs in 2002) returns at third base and after a disappointing season in her mind, the junior hopes to duplicate her freshman season, when she hit 12 home runs and 42 RBIs.
“Last year was a big disappointment for me,” Wiese said. “This year I feel a lot better; I feel more comfortable in the box.”
Girouard said the infield is very solid defensively and as a defensive-minded coach she is excited about what she sees at practice.
Wiese said this year’s squad will rely more on defense because it will not have Sneed on the mound to rack up strikeouts. She said the team is up to the challenge of winning with defense, and it has been showing it in the preseason.
“There are days when I come out here to practice, and I’m amazed at some of the plays we make,” Wiese said.
Smith, who led the infielders with a .939 fielding percentage last year, said she feels more comfortable on the diamond with her teammates this year.
“At first we were switching things up a bit, but I like the chemistry a lot better with [Sara Fitzgerald] at second and Wiese at third,” Smith said. “I feel a lot more confident out there with them.”
Christy Connor and freshman Lauren Delahoussaye will split time at first base until Tessa Lynam returns from a broken hand injury. Lynam led the team in home runs with nine last year. She also hit .291 and drove in 40 runs.
“Lynam is the most dangerous stick in our lineup,” Girouard said.
Connor will see limited action at first base because the other players at first base are better defensively, Girouard said. Connor will contribute more at the plate, where she hit .298 with 18 doubles and 42 RBIs last season.
Sara Fitzgerald, a junior from Kingwood, Texas, will cover second base. Last season, she hit .226 and seven RBIs in 48 games.
“She’s [Fitzgerald] got cat-quick reflexes there,” Girouard said. “We [also] have some options of putting Alicia Owen there.”