The LSU softball team begins Southeastern Conference play tonight with a doubleheader against Mississippi State at Tiger Park.
LSU (18-3) enters SEC play riding a 13-game winning streak, including a 6-0 record in this past weekend’s NFCA Leadoff Classic.
“I think that we had a glimpse this past weekend of how great a year we can have,” said first baseman Stephanie Hill.
Coach Yvette Girouard said while she is happy with her team’s recent success, it is important for the Tigers to get off to a good start in SEC play.
“We would like to start off on the right foot in the SEC,” Girouard said. “The SEC is very important, and we need to bring the same intensity that we did last weekend to the SEC.”
Senior pitcher Kristin Schmidt (10-2) will get the nod in game one of the doubleheader, Girouard said. Schmidt was named the NFCA tournament MVP, going 4-0 with 30 strikeouts and a 1.50 ERA in 28 innings.
Girouard said freshman pitcher Emily Turner (7-1) will pitch either game two or game three on Thursday. In Turner’s last outing against No. 6 Georgia, she pitched eight innings, allowing nine hits and only two runs in the Tigers’ 5-2 victory.
While the pitching has been phenomenal for LSU this year, the hitting has been the backbone for the No. 5 Tigers. LSU enters the game tonight batting a conference-leading .363, and hitting an SEC-leading 26 home runs.
Hill said she would like to see the Tigers continue their tear on opposing pitchers.
“We have had great success so far this year hitting,” Hill said. “I don’t think there is any reason for it not to continue. It’s not possible for all of us to have an off day.”
Both Hill and Castle are hitting above .400, with Hill leading the Tigers in most offensive categories, including batting average (.459), home runs (6), hits (28) and slugging percentage (.836).
Castle, the SEC hitter of the week, enters the series on a 10-game hitting streak. In the NFCA tournament Castle went 10-for-23 (.435), with a double, a home run and six RBIs.
Castle said she does not plan to rest on last weekend’s tournament win.
“I think it is very important [to come out and play well against MSU] because although we did well, we still have areas that need improvement,” Castle said. “Everyone can always get better, and we should never settle and be complacent.”
While LSU leads the SEC in most offensive stats, MSU is not far behind.
“MSU is a great offensive ball club and they bring a lot of intensity to the game,” Hill said.
MSU ranks second to LSU in team batting average (.339), hits (204) and are tied for the league lead with the Tigers in runs (152).
Three players — Kate Jaspers, Iyhia McMichael and Meagan O’Nan — are batting above .400 for the Bulldogs, with McMichael leading the team in hits (31), triples (7), home runs (3) and slugging percentage (.879).
The Bulldogs (16-6) pitching staff is led by Kelli Miller, Stephanie Comeaux and Melissa Massey. The three have combined for a 1.14 ERA with Massey leading the rotation in victories with seven.
Tonight’s game will mark only the second time this season the Bulldogs have faced a Top 25 team. On Feb. 14, MSU lost to No. 21 Oklahoma State 3-2.
In the three-game set between the two schools last season, the Tigers went 2-1, including a 15-13 extra-inning victory in Starkville, Miss.
Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. The two teams will meet up again Thursday at 4 p.m.s