After winning its first-ever series victory at Alabama, LSU will take what most fans see as a break in the competitive Southeastern Conference schedule, partly because most fans are unaware of Nicholls State’s starting pitcher, Dione Meier.
The improvised two-game series will be anything but a breather, according to coach Yvette Girouard.
The first game will be played in Thibodaux at 6:30 p.m. today. The second will be played at LSU Thursday to make up for a game that was rained out on Feb. 25.
While the Tigers annually bring in more offensive weapons than Nicholls State, the Lady Colonels usually keep up with Girouard’s Tigers, who are 64-19 all-time against Nicholls State.
LSU (31-7, 10-4 Southeastern Conference), is coming off its first series win at Alabama, winning all three games in Tuscaloosa.
Girouard said the No. 5 Tigers should be looking past the record of Nicholls State (15-17), which lost 2-0 to fellow sub.-500 team McNeese State in its last outing, if they want to play up to their potential.
“This is anything but a breather. This is a team that is very capable of beating us,” Girouard said. “We played them last year, and they gave us a challenge then. I think we understand the challenge.”
It is likely tonight’s game could be a low-scoring match-up, which the winner could be decided in a pitching duel. The Lady Colonels are capable of winning such a duel thanks to Meier (11-8), who, despite her average record, has 232 strike-outs in 142.2 innings pitched.
In her loss to McNeese State, Meier (11-8) pitched a complete game, striking out 10 batters and allowing only four hits and two runs.
The Tigers are hoping it does not come down to a close, low-scoring contest but will be prepared for such a game, Girouard said.
“We know they have a very good pitcher who is very capable of beating us,” Girouard said. “We can’t chase her rise-ball. If we do that, they will be in total control.”
One of the Tigers who will be looking to avoid that troublesome rise-ball is sophomore Stephanie Hill, who led the Tigers in the third game against Alabama with a three-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, which proved to be the difference in the game for LSU.
Looking to neutralize the effects of Meier’s pitching is LSU pitcher Kristin Schmidt (18-4), who earned a complete-game win against Alabama, allowing seven runs and 12 hits against the Crimson Tide’s high-powered offense.
“You’ve got to win on guts sometimes, and that’s the bottom line when it came to this game,” Girouard said after Schmidt’s performance.