Despite LSU softball’s poor batting this year, a new face has been lighting up Tiger Park when the offense needed someone most.

Kylee Edwards, a junior shortstop, crossed state lines over the offseason, transferring from Mississippi State to LSU. Edwards joined LSU head coach Beth Torina’s largest class of newcomers, along with 11 other players. Throughout this season, Edwards has evolved into one of the Tigers’ biggest contributors on both sides of the ball, while starting every game.

Edwards transferred from Mississippi State after a career-high 37 RBI and 47 hit season, in search of a program where she could play with the SEC’s best.

“It ultimately came down to me wanting to explore other options,” Edwards said. “I want to win a national championship. Going into the portal, I was looking for a program where the coaches and the girls are out there every single day to win a national championship.”

Edwards always viewed LSU as the pinnacle of college softball since she was in Little League, leading to her visiting Baton Rouge before other interested programs. Edwards was also keen on staying in the SEC to continue competing against the best competition, making LSU a perfect match.

“You look at LSU softball, and you just know every girl dreams of playing at LSU,” Edwards shared. “I know when I was little, I went to camps at LSU like itty bitty. It was always a dream of mine to play for LSU, and I didn’t really get a lot of interest out of high school. I came down on the visits, and everything about LSU just made it special.”

Edwards was also a big fan of LSU’s experienced coaching staff.

She believed that surrounding herself with great coaches, like Torina, Brice Neal and Taylor Pleasants, would improve all facets of her game.

“Coach Bryce and his knowledge on hitting and being able to be an infielder under Taylor Pleasant is like a dream come true because I watched her growing up … coach Beth and everything she does — she’s a woman in sports, and she leads her team just better than anybody else,” Edwards said. “It’s just an honor to play under that coaching staff.”

It was clear early on that Torina found a special player in Edwards.

Edwards started her LSU career off strong in the Tiger Classic, LSU’s season-opening series. She’d combine for three hits and three runs, while holding down the defense at shortstop.

In contrast to her recent play, most of Edwards’ non-conference success came from her play in the field, as she led the Tigers in assists.

“I love defense,” Edwards said. “I mean, shortstop is the reason why I play the game. Just going out there being free and just getting to balls that no one really thinks that I can get to. I mean, it’s so fun. I love it.”

Despite struggling with poor hitting and errors early on in the year, Edwards kept improving through non-conference play.

“It’s a game of failure,” Edwards said. “So, just knowing I didn’t start out hot and it was just a matter of time before my bat did get hot.”

Eventually, she’d show off her versatility, improving dramatically as a batter in the last few games approaching SEC ball.

In the Purple and Gold Challenge and the LSU invitational, Edwards racked up nine hits and seven runs through nine contests. She’d also hit her first home run as a tiger against Memphis, rocketing a ball into left-center field to start the scoring in a run-rule finish.

“You’re just not thinking — see ball, hit ball,” Edwards said. “That’s always what I tell myself, I don’t think a lot. That’s confidence — just going up there and just trusting your work.”

Despite team struggles, Edwards continued racking up hits as LSU started SEC play.

Against No. 24 South Carolina, Edwards had her best series up to that point. She’d record five hits and three runs, while propelling LSU to its first conference series win of the season.

“It’s just confidence,” Edwards shared in a postgame interview. “I brought it into this weekend, worked hard in the cages … and anyone can get hot at any time, it just happens to be me now.”

That series seemed to spark something in Edwards, as she continued her hot streak over the next few series, becoming a focal point of the Tigers’ offense.

Through SEC play, Edwards has held LSU’s best batting average on the team at .373, while leading the team in hits and home runs. For individual SEC stat leaders, she is tied for the third most home runs and fifth most RBIs.

Following the South Carolina series win, Edwards’ bat would not cool off, hitting five home runs along with six RBIs in the week of the Oklahoma series.

“I knew coming in today I had to get my teammates in,” Edwards said after LSU’s win over No. 3 Oklahoma. “If we keep progressing each game and having really good at-bats, I mean, it’s tiger softball … we’re ready to come out here and compete.”

Edward’s best was still yet to come.

In the following series against Missouri, she’d etch herself into LSU softball history books, becoming the first player in program history to record a cycle.

“When I was up to bat, I didn’t realize that I was a triple away from a cycle,” Edwards said. “For some reason, I hit second base, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, go, run, run.’ Then I slid in [to third]. I looked over at the dugout and saw my teammates and the coaches. It was so surreal.”

The cycle performance led the Tigers to a dominating series win over Missouri, which seemed to turn the tide of LSU’s conference play.

Edwards continued generating offense over the next two weeks. She’d help LSU get its biggest upset series win of the season against No. 12 Arizona, along with a series sweep against Ole Miss the week after.

Edward’s play has been nothing short of excellent when LSU needed a batter to step up. Despite the Tigers being second to last in the SEC for batting, with a poor batting average of .273, Edwards has been a breath of fresh air for Tiger Park when on the plate.

With two weeks left in the season, and LSU back ranked in the top 20, Edwards is still set on finishing the year with silverware.

“These girls here work so freaking hard,” Edwards said. “You don’t have to worry about anybody taking off a rep. We all want to win a national championship. I feel like that’s the main goal. And we’re so close as a team.”