The LSU softball regular season started with great promise, but the road quickly got rocky and turned into a grind. It ended with a nonconference loss at home to Liberty on Sunday, but the Tigers now can turn their attention to the postseason.
No. 10 LSU is eyeing the SEC tournament, where it can bolster its resume before the NCAA tournament begins.
“It’s nice to be 0-0 again, get a little restart here,” LSU coach Beth Torina said after Sunday’s 3-1 loss to Liberty. “It’s almost like a free week with the SEC tournament. It can only help you. Hopefully we can go there and make a case for ourselves and be (in) that top eight.”
The case is strong. LSU remains at No. 3 in the RPI, the highest-ranked SEC team and behind only No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Oklahoma. Yet LSU finished eighth in the conference and will play No. 9 seed Alabama in the first round Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Auburn’s Jane B. Moore Field. The winner will play regular-season SEC champion Tennessee.
“It could be a huge weekend for us and just kind of getting back on track,” LSU pitcher/designated player Kelley Lynch said. “We can definitely win (the SEC tournament title). I have no doubt about that.
“Every season has highs and lows. It’s all about who peaks at the right time, so I’m super excited to get the postseason started and to see what this team’s really made of.”
The Tigers (38-14) started the season 24-0 but finished 8-10. The RPI is rewarding the Tigers for that start and for playing each of the top four teams in the SEC. LSU went 6-6 in those games.
Last year, LSU was 40-15 going into the NCAA tournament and received a No. 10 national seed.
“We’re definitely hosting a regional. I don’t think that’s in question,” Torina said. “I think the question is whether we’re going to be in the top eight or not. I don’t know if there’s been a three in RPI that hasn’t been a top eight (seed).”
LSU didn’t play Alabama (33-16, 10-14 SEC) in the regular season but will be facing a team with a similar narrative. The Crimson Tide started the season 18-0 but has lost eight of its last 11.
Alabama is third from the bottom of the SEC in team batting average (.254) but rode the pitching of ace Kayla Beaver all season. Beaver went 16-8 with a 1.76 ERA. In 155⅓ innings she struck out 156 batters and held opposing hitters to a .206 collective batting average. She threw 13 complete games and seven shutouts.
Offensively, Alabama is led by shortstop/leadoff hitter Kenleigh Cahalan, who is batting .291. Outfielder Jenna Johnson is batting .270 with six homers and 20 RBIs.
“Every day in the SEC is going to be a battle,” Torina said. “She’s (Beaver) going to be good. She locates well, she throws hard. We’ll have our work cut out for us. It will be a short turnaround, and we’ll have to get prepared quickly for them.”