Coming off a season-ending injury at the beginning of last season, redshirt freshman Leslie Klein made her presence felt in the Tigers opening weekend.
Going 6-for-18 on the weekend with two home runs and three RBIs, Klein said she was pleased with her performance.
“I thought I did okay,” Klein said. “For my first weekend, first game jitters, I think I did okay.”
In her first game on Friday against Centenary, Klein went 1-for-4 with one RBI in the leadoff spot.
Klein scored in her first game as a Lady Tiger in the second inning on a throwing error.
In the second game of the tournament, Klein went 1-for-4 with one run scored and nine put-outs at first base.
Klein got her first home run on Saturday in the 6-4 loss to Oklahoma, going 1-for-3 in the game.
Coming off an ACL injury she suffered prior to the 2003 season, Klein said she felt good about getting past the injury.
“It feels good,” Klein said. “I’ve been waiting for this for the whole year.”
“It’s good to know that you can come out and be the same person you were before you got injured.”
Klein capped off the weekend with her second home run of the season in the 7-2 loss to Illinois, going 1-for-3 in the game.
Although she had a big weekend, Klein said the road to recovery was not easy.
“It was seven months of healing and finally I feel 100 percent,” Klein said. “I’m running the same, which I never used to be able to do. Everything is just coming together.”
Coach Yvette Girouard said she was especially impressed with the way Klein played despite the two losses.
“She’s a stud,” Girouard said. “She’s playing well.”
While Klein was originally an outfielder, Girouard said having her at first base can help the team.
“She’s filling in her position,” Girouard said. “She’s a true outfielder and we need her at first base.”
“She’s a ballplayer and she’ll just get better.”