SEC softball is a slaughterhouse year after year, and because of this, a few teams make waves, dominating the league, while the others fight to overcome the .500 mark.
LSU starts hot annually, only taking one or two losses during non-conference play. After a few weekends into SEC play, the Tigers tend to take a loss. This loss turns into a few and many losses by the middle of conference play.
LSU is hot, but there are some things it can do to separate itself from the middle of the pack:
Consistency is key
Even when they lose, the Tigers can still be consistent in what they do. Consistency in diamond sports does not mean winning every game. Winning helps build momentum and a reputation that precedes the team, but in a sport that deals with so much failure, there are other things the team can focus on to remain consistent.
LSU needs to play all out. Everything needs to be left on the field, and these women need to ball out and remember why they are here. The Tigers have done it so far with such a young team, but it’s still early.
LSU head coach Beth Torina said this team’s focus has been playing hard. When everything else goes wrong, putting pressure on the opposition to beat themselves will make a difference for the Tigers.
“Hopefully, you’re noticing a lot of hard 60s when we run to first base,” Torina said. “We’re running full speed. We’re trying to beat everything out, putting pressure on defenses.”
If nothing else, this team can play small ball and get some luck to work out in their favor. Everyone in this lineup can bunt for a base hit, so when the time comes for sacrifice bunts to come into play, this team will undoubtedly keep up with anyone out there.
Playing full-out is more than just running; it’s going the extra mile when the team needs it. In just one weekend of SEC play, LSU has shown that it can get it done.
Tori Edwards hit a go-ahead bomb when they lost the lead in Game 2 versus Kentucky. Jadyn Laneaux flagged down a sharply hit line drive down the left field line that would’ve given Kentucky the lead during game three. Avery Hodge threw a runner out at the plate cleanly on a routine ground ball that should’ve allowed the runner to score.
These things that seem lucky will separate the good teams from the great ones. Good luck doesn’t exist in diamond sports; it is all about who showed up more prepared and played harder on that given day.
If the Tigers play like this for the rest of the season, there is no reason they shouldn’t get the outcome they were hoping for.
Keep the hype game up
This team has two mottos throughout the season: “Write our own story” and “Can’t beat crazy.” These two mottos will work together perfectly to create hype like no other.
“Can’t beat crazy” started in 2016. LSU would wear crazy masks and hats to bring hype to the dugout. The 2025 Tigers have matched this energy with crazy celebrations for their hits.
The energy on the field and in the dugout is one of those things nobody can explain, but it helps more than anyone even knows.
Keeping the energy up and fighting to bring the game’s momentum back to their side will be key to returning the next day and winning. Celebrating moments big and small will bring everybody together when LSU needs it most. On the surface, a single is just one base, but for the Tigers, it can quickly turn into a double because of their speed.
If the energy in the dugout stays light and fun, this team can work together to get the job done. The great offenses of the SEC could lead to some striking deficits, and being able to celebrate the little things that lead to the big ones will allow the Tigers to come back in times of need.
If this team keeps the energy they’ve been bringing to games, LSU will always be a force to be reckoned with in the conference.
Play their game
Every team in the SEC is living by this ideal. Everyone wants softball to be played to their standard.
Teams with great offense want to find weaknesses in pitching. Teams with weak offense want to find holes in the defense.
This 2025 Tigers team is unique because they have played solid ball from every side of it. They can run with the fastest players in Division I. They can hit with the most potent offenses. They can play defense and make unheard-of plays with DI softball’s greatest defenders.
If they can continue to control what it does well, it will be hard to snatch the SEC crown from LSU, but it will have to do all three things consistently first. Wins aren’t everything in softball, but they help to prove why the Tigers can compete with the best teams in the NCAA.
Softball and baseball are vastly different from football and basketball. The best team will not be clear, and going undefeated is almost impossible. Winning the SEC doesn’t require a clean sweep during SEC play, but it will need a competitive team to win most series.
Focusing on these things will allow LSU to compete and be a force to be reckoned with. Losing one game isn’t the end of the season, nor will it hurt their standings, but when they rack up losses in a timely fashion, that’s when it gets dicey.
If the Tigers show up and show out how they’ve been doing, they can hang with any team that comes their way. If they focus on these things, there is no more fighting to stay above .500 for them.
The SEC is a slaughterhouse. There are a lot of games won by a large margin, and there are a lot of high-scoring games. Focusing on these three things will allow the Tigers to remain in the conversation at every level.
The diamond sports are funny about wins and losses, and being able to wipe the slate clean and keep doing your thing will keep LSU in the front-running for the SEC.
