Despite losing its final game of the 2004 season, the Tigers managed to clinch the Southeastern Conference title on Saturday with their 4-0 win.
With their fifth SEC title in six years, the Tigers now have the most titles of any school in the SEC.
“This is a great accomplishment for this group of players,” coach Yvette Girouard said. “We hope this is just a step for this team because they aren’t satisfied with just being the SEC champions. They want more, and we have more goals left to achieve.”
Senior Julie Wiese also said the team still has a few more goals to accomplish.
“We still have a few goals we’d like to accomplish,” Wiese said. “[Winning the SEC] is a huge one, and it’s a great feeling.”
Wiese and Fitzgerald are just just two of the four seniors who managed to earn an SEC title three times in her four year tenure at LSU.
LSU’s other seniors celebrating Senior Day included second baseman Sara Fitzgerald, center fielder LaDonia Hughes and All-American pitcher Kristin Schmidt.
In their freshman year, the four seniors had their season ended with a 6-0 loss in the Women’s College World Series to UCLA.
During their sophomore seasons, Fitzgerald and Wiese failed to reach the WCWS for the second straight year after falling to Arizona State University 4-0 in the Lafayette Regional Championship.
Last year, Fitzgerald’s and Wiese’s season was again ended by Arizona State in Austin, Tx. It was the first season for the two juniors, in which, they did not earn an SEC title.
Large billboards of each player were placed above the press box in celebration of LSU’s departing seniors.
Wiese also credited the fans to the success of the team this year.
“The fans are awesome,” Wiese said. “You never want to leave your home field, but we had great support today and it was an awesome atmosphere. I couldn’t ask to leave on a better note.”
Girouard said winning the championship this year after failing to clinch it last season is a big achievement.
“They get to wear rings,” Girouard said. “They get to have the board put back up on the outfield fence. I think they were embarrassed at the fact that nothing was put up there last year, so I’m happy for the players.”
Freshman Emily Turner, who earned the loss on Sunday, said winning the title as a freshman sets the tone for the rest of her time at LSU.
“As a freshman, it sets the tone for the next four years,” Turner said. “I have to do it in the next four years.”
Turner added the team realized its potential back in February.
“I think we realized our potential in Columbus,” Turner said. “We realized we could do a lot with this team.”
The Tigers managed to sweep through the NFCA Tournament back in late February, defeating then No. 3 California and No. 4 Washington in Columbus, Ga.
Although she has earned three SEC titles, Wiese said winning it as a senior was very important to her.
“It’s a dream come true,” Wiese said. “When you start off the year, you always want to go out on top. We achieved that goal.”
Wiese added this team has something special.
“It’s not a team of superstars,” Wiese said. “It’s a real team. Every game, somebody different steps up, and that’s what makes this team so special.”