LSU softball showed their championship mindset in their last non-conference weekend at Tiger Park with a sweep of the LSU Round Robin.
The Tigers only played one seven-inning game in two games against South Alabama and Minnesota as the offense unleashed.
LSU was all gas after the first game on Friday, outscoring their opponents 40-6 across all four games of the weekend. Despite the slow start, the Tigers continued to show why they are a top-five team, from the pitching to the defense, especially the offense.
Ace pitcher Sydney Berzon started game one versus the Jaguars on Friday, giving up no runs on two hits. She was in peak condition, a good thing for an LSU offense that only recorded two runs on five hits.
The Tigers called all bets off in the second game versus South Alabama on Friday. Freshman Jayden Heavener started in the circle but only went three innings before Ashley Vallejo closed out the Jaguars 18-4 in five.
In the first three innings of work in game two alone against South Alabama, LSU recorded 18 runs before head coach Beth Torina started substituting to get some non-starters some playing time.
The Tigers played two games against the Gophers on Saturday and Sunday. Heavener got her second straight start for the first game of the two. Heavener showed her potential for the postseason while stunning Minnesota’s offense, allowing one hit through five innings.
LSU’s bats stayed hot, getting the work done quickly by scoring six runs in the first inning. The Gophers fought back, putting zeros on the board for the Tigers in the next few innings, but LSU pulled off the run-rule victory by scoring four runs in the fourth inning.
Berzon got her second start of the weekend for game two against Minnesota. The Tigers had big innings, putting up crooked numbers in all but one inning. The Gophers did their homework, hitting Berzon with some power as she allowed two runs on 10 hits.
Minnesota put a run on the board each inning, and LSU came out harder, scoring enough runs to keep a comfortable lead. The game ended on a Jaila Lassiter single that scored Avery Hodge.
In game two against the Jaguars, Tigers Jada Phillips, Destiny Harris, Savanna Bedell, McKaela Walker and Maddox Mckee got their feet wet pinch-hitting, playing in the field or both due to the high score.
Hodge showed Tiger fans why she is a two-time national champion shortstop throughout the LSU Round Robin. She went 4-5 at the plate and made several outstanding plays at shortstop on Friday alone, but Hodge didn’t slow down through Saturday and Sunday either.
Through the two games versus Minnesota, Hodge was 3-6 against Gopher’s pitching and continued to flash the leather, featuring a 4-3 double play on Sunday.
Being able to respond to a slow game offensively will turn this team into a more competitive group than it already is.
“The coolest part about the day was the way that the offense answered,” Torina said. “I think Bryce [Neal], between games, called on them to do some things differently, to have a slightly different approach. It was awesome to see them answer the way they did. Really nice to see they are capable of something like that.”
After having a slow game for the offense on Friday, LSU started a rally that kept going all weekend. Entering SEC play, this mindset will be crucial to the Tigers, and having hot and cold moments will be detrimental to their game.
LSU will try to remain undefeated at home on Tuesday, March 11, versus Louisiana-Lafayette.
