No. 20 LSU softball faces No. 3 Oklahoma this weekend in another SEC showdown with hopes to win its second conference series.
The matchup will be significant for many reasons, but it all comes down to two pitchers: Paytn Monticelli and Sydney Berzon.
Berzon, the former Tiger ace, transferred to Oklahoma ahead of her senior season. The right-handed pitcher boasts one of the best starts in Tigers’ program history, starting 13-0 in the circle in her junior season with LSU.
Overall, Berzon ended her career in purple and gold with 52 wins on her record, having only lost 25 games that she pitched. Berzon recorded 416 strikeouts in nearly 487 innings pitched.
In the three seasons she spent with the Tigers, Berzon broke program history while making a name for herself. Berzon ranks No. 3 in the Tigers’ all-time history with nine saves in the circle in her 100 appearances. Berzon also ranks No. 6 with the fewest walks allowed (130) and comes in at No. 7 with the fewest home runs allowed (28).
The transfer hit both the team and Tiger fans hard when the news broke out. It was certainly not a portal move that was taken lightly.
“It’s tough to lose a player like that,” head coach Beth Torina said at the team’s media day before the 2026 season.
So far with the Sooners, Berzon has had a tiny setback in her 15 appearances. The senior is 4-1 on the mound with a 2.47 ERA through her six games started. Across her appearances, she’s allowed 17 runs on 30 hits and 11 walks. Berzon has struck out 20 batters.
The loss of Berzon only motivated Torina to add more depth to her roster, and the bullpen specifically. One addition in those efforts would be Monticelli, who transferred from Oklahoma.
“I absolutely love the atmosphere of this bullpen,” Torina said. “I think it has a very different feel. It is a staff mentality, which is really how it should be.”
Prior to LSU, Monticelli was a 2024 national champion in her sophomore season with the Sooners after transferring from Wisconsin. At Oklahoma, Monticelli claimed a 2-0 record with a 2.58 ERA. In the 40 innings she pitched, Monticelli struck out 43 opposing batters for the Sooners.
Torina said that Monticelli impressed her before the season when she arrived in Baton Rouge, and the senior has only continued to do so in her first season in purple and gold.
Monticelli holds a 3-1 record for LSU so far this season with a 3.8 ERA across 10 appearances. Monticelli has struck out 36 batters, allowed 17 runs on 34 hits and walked 13 opponents this season.
With Berzon and Monticelli facing their former teams, the anticipation is high for the series matchup. The series begins Friday with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
