The LSU softball team hits the road this weekend to compete in its seventh SEC series of the season against the Georgia Bulldogs.
The Tigers will travel to Georgia carrying a four game win streak after sweeping South Carolina and then dominating McNeese State Tuesday. The No. 14 Bulldogs are entering this weekend on their home turf with a season record of 35-9, and 6-9 on conference play. The No. 21 Tigers lag behind with a 28-16 record on the season and 8-7 in conference play.
The South Carolina series was only the second series win for the Tigers, their first being a sweep against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Alabama series was LSU’s first SEC series of the season.
LSU has displayed some shaky performances this season. Inconsistencies in the lineup and defensive errors within multiple games have cost the team some major losses. When these inconsistencies are nowhere to be found, however, the Tigers are unquestionably indestructible.
In the South Carolina series, as well as in the game against McNeese State, these faults were nowhere to be found. Taylor Pleasants, Ali Newland, Savannah Stewart, Ciara Briggs and Shelbi Sunseri were offensive powerhouses against McNeese. The Tigers totaled nine hits and seven runs, all of which were RBIs. Fans also got to watch some more unfamiliar faces in the circle with freshman Raelin Chaffin and junior Shelby Wickersham.
Chaffin has been a force to be reckoned with in the circle. After some shaky outings, she has produced nearly perfect performances for the Tigers. It is unlikely, however, that she will be seen much this weekend against Georgia, considering her many outings these past few games, and the lack of typical starters, Kilponen and Sunseri. Head Coach Beth Torina is typically quiet on who her starters will be in the circle before the game is set to begin.
Georgia has been pretty consistent throughout its season thus far, shutting out higher-ranked teams like Clemson and Tennessee. The Bulldogs were also able to secure a win over Alabama in their three game series. They have conquered some of the same opponents that LSU has, such as Texas A&M and South Carolina.
A huge factor of success for LSU going into this weekend will be success at the plate. Georgia is no stranger to high-scoring innings, and the same can’t always be said for the Tigers. LSU has been prone to leaving players stranded on base in multiple innings from multiple games. This habit could be detrimental to their performance, especially against a team with a higher caliber, such as Georgia.
Defense will also have to be nearly perfect, as a fiery offense is accompanied by equally impactful defensive plays. The typical hotspots for powerful ground balls in softball, shortstop and the third base line are easily the places on the field that have the biggest margin for error. This rings true for LSU.
Third baseman Daineca Coffey and shortstop Pleasants both account for the most errors on the team, with 13 and nine, respectfully. These errors have little effect on the outcome of the game, though, when the Tiger offense is successful.
The young team that composes LSU has a huge weekend ahead of them in facing the Georgia Bulldogs. With such similar wins, and a relatively young Bulldog roster, this three-game series could be an extremely entertaining one to watch. With virtually no fielding errors and a stellar offensive performance, it is the Tigers’ for the taking.
Fans at home can watch LSU take on the Georgia Bulldogs on ESPN. They can also listen live with the LSU Sports Radio Network.
Friday: LSU at Georgia, 5:00 p.m. SECN+
Saturday: LSU at Georgia, 1:00 p.m. ESPNU
Sunday: LSU at Georgia, 11:00 a.m. ESPNU
