The No. 3 LSU softball team opened its season in a dominating fashion during the 18th edition Tiger Classic hosted at Tiger Park.
LSU (4-1) outscored opponents 42-5 over the weekend and won each of its four games by run-rule, ending the matchups in the fifth inning. LSU’s lone loss came against University of the Pacific, as its offense was stifled for only one run.
Throughout the weekend, one player consistently shined a bit brighter than the rest — junior infielder Sahvanna Jaquish.
Jaquish provided a commanding influence all weekend. She finished with a .750 batting average, going 9-for-12 and drawing three walks during the five-game stretch. Her biggest offensive performance came in game three against Connecticut.
The Highland, California, native recorded just two hits, but she made both of them count. Jaquish struck a ball up the middle into center field for a double, earning two RBIs. Her best at bat came at the end of LSU’s flurry of runs in the bottom of the third.
The Tigers had already scored nine runs against the Huskies (2-3) in that inning before Jaquish smashed a ball over the left-field fence for a grand slam home run. The four-run blast gave LSU a 13-0 lead at the time and all but ended the game.
“It felt amazing,” Jaquish said of the homer. “There’s just something about hitting the ball in the right spot and timing it up. It’s the reason I play softball.”
It was the first homerun of the season for the junior, but her power is no surprise to fans.
Last season, Jaquish led the team in RBIs with 76, the single season program record, and was second in homers with 17. She was behind power hitting senior Bianka Bell who crushed 18 balls over the fence in 2015.
The LSU home run crown will likely go to either Jaquish or Bell, but the senior shortstop was unwilling to make a prediction on the outcome.
Jaquish finished with nine RBIs through the first five games putting her on pace to smash her own individual record by nearly 20.
LSU coach Beth Torina said the offense has a nice mix of speed and power. While Jaquish and Bell cheer for one another, the fifth year coach said they both want to end the year as the team leader in home runs, even if they don’t admit it.
“This offense is extremely special,” Torina said. “Our greatest competition is within ourselves.”
Even with her offensive numbers, what set Jaquish apart was her defensive play and versatility. Over the weekend the infielder split time between third base and catcher, earning three starts at third and two behind the plate.
She recorded three assists and 13 putouts, including eight against North Florida on Friday.
The junior said it was great experience through the highs and lows of the weekend.
“It’s always amazing playing here,” Jaquish said of Tiger Park. “It’s the best facility in the country, and the fans are amazing. So it was all love.”