The No. 4 LSU softball team will be facing its toughest test of the season yet as it travels to Palm Springs, California for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
LSU will begin the tournament with a doubleheader against No. 9 Arizona and Bethune-Cookman tonight at 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., respectively.
Despite dropping in the polls and suffering a disappointing loss last weekend in the Tiger Classic, the Tigers (4-1) are turning the loss into positive motivation.
“I was disappointed that we lost,” said junior third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish. “You never want to take a loss that early, but it helps us identify what we need to improve as a team. I think that’s going to help us in the long run.”
Fielding issues were one of the reasons the Tigers lost to Pacific on Feb. 13. LSU committed six errors in the Tiger Classic, with half of them coming in the loss alone.
If the Tigers want to finish this weekend with five wins, they can’t afford to make the same type of mistakes, especially against a high-powered Arizona (6-0) offense and a well-balanced No. 8 UCLA squad.
To fix some of those defensive issues, LSU coach Beth Torina and her staff will continue to adjust the defensive lineup in hopes of finding the most consistent fielders.
“We’ve been moving people around, trying to decide what our best look is,” Torina said. “We’re always trying to be better. Hopefully, as the season gets a little deeper and we get more reps, those will go away.”
Playing in the Mary Nutter Classic will give Torina a good barometer of how her team stacks up against nationally-ranked competition.
The Tigers will face three ranked opponents this weekend and all three have different playing styles, from the power-hitting Wildcats to a dynamic No. 15 University of Central Florida pitching staff.
Arizona boasts a lineup that opened last weekend hitting 14 home runs as a team and outscored its opponents 63-12. The Wildcats will test the strength of LSU’s pitching staff with a top-notch duo of junior sluggers — infielder Mo Mercado and outfielder Katiyana Mauga — who have combined for seven home runs and 24 RBIs through six games this season.
No. 9 UCLA (4-1) features a roster that returns two NFCA All-Americans from the Bruins’ Women’s College World Series team last season. Sophomore pitcher Selina Ta’amilo could pose problems for the Tigers lineup. Ta’amilo (3-0) has posted a 1.53 ERA and notched 16 strikeouts in 18.1 innings of work this season.
Along with strong pitching, the Bruins have consistently been able to produce offense, averaging six runs a game. UCLA has tallied 25 RBIs compared with just four home runs this season.
UCF (4-2) are back-to-back American-Athletic Conference Champions and have an experienced team, with 14 juniors and seniors. The Knights feature one of the best pitching staffs in the country, only allowing three runs on the season and having a combined team of 1.17 ERA.
“It’ll be a real good learning experience. We’re going to know a lot more about ourselves after this weekend,” Torina said. “We’re going to see a lot of different things. UCF really has a great pitcher. UCLA is kind of the well-rounded team. Arizona brings a huge offense.”
The Tigers’ offense has stolen the spotlight this season. In its first five games, LSU outscored its opponents 42-5 in the Tiger Classic. The Tigers poured on runs early, scoring 22 runs in the third inning during last weekend.
Jaquish has been the catalyst for the LSU offense. The Highland, California native won SEC Player of the Week on Tuesday after hitting .692 with nine hits and nine RBIs through LSU’s first five games.
“I’m proud of the way she attacked the season,” Torina said. “She’s still going out with something to prove, instead of living up to everyone’s expectations. She took a different mentality than some of us.”
After the Tigers play on Friday, they will play another doubleheader against UC Santa Barbara and UCF on Saturday 5:00 p.m. and 7.30 p.m., respectively, and UCLA on Sunday at 11:00 a.m.
“It’s going to be a good test for us to see where we’re at,” said senior shortstop Bianka Bell.