Even with the departure of All-American outfielder Trena Peel, softball head coach Yvette Girouard still sees the LSU outfield as a plus for the team.
“I like our outfield, I think that we’ve got great speed out there,” Girouard said. “Our outfield is a positive for us.”
Right fielder Megann Steege returns as the Lady Tigers’ only starter in the outfield. The fifth-year senior from Fresno, Calif., started in 45 of the 55 games she played. She recorded 26 putouts and earned a .914 fielding percentage, while making three errors all season. She also scored 26 runs on 45 hits with a .269 batting average.
Girouard called Steege a “great outfielder” and likes the experience she brings to the outfield as a three-year letterman.
Steege believes the loss of former All-American pitcher Britni Sneed means more hitters will put the ball into play– meaning more chances to make mistakes. However, she thinks the LSU outfield is a “strong group” and can handle those challenges especially with the talent and enthusiasm it possesses. She also said the fall season helped the outfield to come together as a unit.
“We’ve learned a lot over the fall, and we communicate well together,” Steege said. “I don’t think we’ll have any problems.”
Ladonia Hughes anchors the group as the starter in center field. The junior transfer from Lake City Junior College in Florida led the team to the 2001 JC national championship.
The vocal leadership Hughes brings to the team is a “great quality” to have in a center fielder, according to Girouard. She likes the way Hughes “patrols” the outfield with speed and ability to “read the ball well.”
“She’s got good jump off the bat,” Girouard said.
Hughes knows she has “big shoes to fill” as she plays the same position as Peel did, but through hard work Hughes hopes to establish herself in the outfield. She sees her speed as her greatest asset, both in centerfield and as a slap-bunter.
“Working hard and getting the job done is what it’s all about,” Hughes said.
As Hughes starts her first season at LSU, she looks forward to making an “impact” on the team. She wants the outfield, as well as the whole team, to work together as “one heartbeat.”
Girouard expected Leslie Klein to start in left field this season before she tore her ACL in early January. She said the loss of Klein hurts LSU this season, but the team cannot worry about things it cannot control.
“Our mind frame is do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do,” said Girouard.
Girouard expects Sara Fitzgerald, Lauren Delahoussaye and Camille Harris to fill the void in left field.
Fitzgerald played in 56 games, starting 16, as a sophomore last season. She mostly played in the outfield, but played second base as well. She had a .919 fielding percentage and three errors.
Delahoussaye earned Gatorade’s award as the top high school softball player in 2002. She had a .463 batting average, including five home runs and 33 RBIs, as a senior for Teurlings Catholic. She also helped the school to two state championships.
Harris, a freshman from Tennessee, led her high school team to four straight district championships including a state title in 2001. She also played on summer league teams that won two national championships.