Softball Opening Weekend Review/Recap (TLDR)

The #8 nationally ranked softball team came into this weekend with many questions and new faces. LSU is now without two of LSU's best hitters in school history (Jaquish and Landry), and showcased a very impressive opening weekend interrupted by weather.


On the Mound


Obviously we knew coming in that this will be the strongest part of our team, at least early this season. It didn't disappoint either.

Carley hoover opened up the season with an impressive shutout of Illinois- Chicago. Striking out 12 batters with only one walk. She looked as healthy as ever. Of course she was held out from a lot all fall and summer as she came back from a minor procedure. It will take a month for the soreness and aches to wear off but look for LSU to pace Carely earlier this season.

Allie Walljasper started and dominated in both the games she played this weekend, allowing zero runs in 14 innings. She has improved her pitch location and added a little more velocity to some of her pitches. Expect a little more strikeouts this year from her. Not known as a strikeout pitchers, she thrives off of contact, keeping hitters off balance with the movements of her pitches.

Shelbi Sunseri had to be one of the major highlights of this weekend. She opened up her freshman campaign with a 9-2 victory over UT-Arlington. Coming into this weekend Torina knew she still had ways to go as a pitcher. She is currently developing a few more pitches to add to her arsenal. Sunseri worked with the tightest strike zone of the entire weekend. After a few calls didn't spin her way, she showed slight nerves on the mound in the 2nd innings, walking two batters in a row off 8 straight balls. After working her way out of a jam, she dealt the rest of the way and kept control of UTA's offense. Sunseri's changeup kept hitters off balance and jammed most of the hitters. After a successful opener, she will likely receive the ball much more over the next month. Off the charts potential that will improve with each experience.

We did not see Maribeth this weekend but we should see her very soon. She was the most raved about player all fall and January practice.


The Offense

Obviously this is the area of concern with a lot of new faces and with a lot of inconsistencies from the returns from last year.

LSU opened the first night very slow, but built on and improved from each at bat as the weekend went. LSU definitely is in a much better place than expected this early.

Amanda Doyle has to be one of the most improved hitters. She is much more relaxed at the plate and has looked to deliver the blow first. Every hit off her bat was screaming this weekend. She sent two bombs off her bat into deep center field that died before the fence. She hit a liner to RF fence for a double as well. Doyle looks the part and looks to add a lot more power this year to this offense.


Shemiah Sanchez looked really improved from fall ball, and that definitely has carried over early on for her. She hit the ball well this weekend with 3 extra base hits, 2 doubles and a monster home run to LF today. She looks very very healthy now and the staff expects major impacts from her this season.

Serrett's bat definitely warmed up from Thursday and has been a major RBI producer for us. She belted a 3 run homerun earlier today and looks to build onto her offensive abilities this year. LSU expects to see from 6-8 home runs from Amber this year and to provide much more consistency to the middle of the lineup.


Becca Schulte has made a splash already offensively. She showed a lot of patience at the plate this weekend and showed the ability to recognize pitches really well. She will add some power to the middle of this lineup and will improve with more experience.

Aliyah Andrews showcased a new style of batting this weekend with her new split grip handle. She looks to drive the ball a lot more this year and provide a lot more extra base hits.This is all very new so it will take a month to iron out the kinks but expect a lot from this sophomore in the #2 spot in the lineup.

Taryn Antoine was expected to immediately take that RF spot but Clair Weinberger has raised a lot of eye brows this weekend. On top of the impressive plays in the OF defensively, she showcased a lot of potential offensively with limited experience she has. She ripped a double to RF earlier today and provided a timely RBI earlier this weekend.


Concerns

There really isn't too much at this point now but two people stick out to me as of now.


Schlattman played extremely tight this weekend and showed nerves early. Defensively she looked fantastic but looked unsure of herself offensively. She will be depended on for a lot of power to the middle of the lineup. I expect her to impress many of us soon enough. She is as talented as anyone on this team.

Sydney Springfield is a critical piece to this years team as she can change a game in one swing. LSU will depend on her to provide power to this lineup. She was very timid and overly patient this weekend and constantly put herself in a hole with two strikes before she picked up her bat. She has shown she can be dynamic for us in many ways. hopefully we see a more aggressive Springfield this coming week.