2020 LSU Tigers softball team explained
| Sport: | softball |
| Year: | 2020 |
| Team: | LSU Tigers |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Coachrank: | 7 |
| Record: | 21–3 |
| Conf Record: | 0–0 |
| Head Coach: | Beth Torina |
| Hc Year: | 9th |
| Asst Coach1: | Howard Dobson |
| Asst Coach2: | Lindsay Leftwich |
| Stadium: | Tiger Park |
The 2020 LSU Tigers softball team represents Louisiana State University in the 2020 NCAA Division I softball season. The Tigers play their home games at Tiger Park. The 2020 softball season was cut short due to the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic. As a result LSU had not played any conference games when the season ended on March 11, 2020. One notable highlight of the season was the program's first ever 7-inning perfect game thrown by Maribeth Gorsuch in a 4-0 victory over the Belmont Bruins on February 22, 2020.[1]
Previous season
The Tigers finished the 2019 season 43–19 overall, and 14–10 in the SEC to finish in a tie for second in the conference. The Tigers hosted a regional during the 2019 NCAA Division I softball tournament and later advanced to the Minneapolis Super Regional against Minnesota. The Tigers were defeated by the Golden Gophers 0 games to 2 as Minnesota advanced to the WCWS.
Preseason
SEC preseason poll
The SEC preseason poll was released on January 15, 2020.[2]
| Media poll |
| 1 | Alabama |
| 2 | Tennessee |
| 3 | LSU |
| 4 | Kentucky |
| 5 | Florida |
| 6 | Georgia |
| 7 | Arkansas |
| 8 | Ole Miss |
| 9 | South Carolina |
| 10 | Missouri |
| 11 | Auburn |
| 12 | Mississippi State
Texas A&M | |
Schedule and results
| 2020 LSU Tigers Softball Game Log |
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| Regular season |
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| February |
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| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SEC record |
|---|
| February 6 | | No. 11 | Tiger Park
Baton Rouge, LA | W 3–2 | S. Sunseri (1–0) | R. Sanchez (0–1) | A. Kilponen (1) | SECN+ | 1,356 | 1–0 | | | February 7 | | No. 11 | Tiger Park | W 1–0 | S. Wickersham (1–0) | C. Eberle (0–1) | A. Kilponen (2) | SECN+ | 1,536 | 2–0 | | | February 8 | | No. 11 | Tiger Park | W 8–0 | S. Sunseri (2–0) | N. Zenteno (0–1) | | SECN+ | 1,685 | 3–0 | | | February 8 | No. 13 Oklahoma State | No. 11 | Tiger Park | W 3–2 | M. Gorsuch (1–0) | K. Maxwell (1–1) | | SECN+ | 1,934 | 4–0 | | | February 9 | Florida A&M | No. 11 | Tiger Park | W 16–0 | A. Kilponen (1–0) | B. Boatwright (0–2) | | SECN+ | 1,361 | 5–0 | | | February 14 | | No. 7 | Tiger Park | W 4–0 | A. Kilponen (2–0) | T. DeCelles (1–1) | | SECN+ | 1,356 | 6–0 | | | February 15 | | No. 7 | Lamson Park
Lafayette, LA | L 1–2 | M. Kleist (3–1) | M. Gorsuch (1–1) | | | 3,107 | 6–1 | | | February 16 | | No. 7 | Tiger Park | W 8–0 | S. Wickersham (2–0) | J. Jones (1–3) | | SECN+ | 1,398 | 7–1 | | | February 16 | No. 13 Louisiana | No. 7 | Tiger Park | W 4–3 | A. Kilponen (3–0) | M. Kleist (3–2) | | SECN+ | 2,246 | 8–1 | | | February 19 | | No. 6 | Tiger Park | W 9-2 | M. Gorsuch (2-1) | B. Hernandez (2-2) | | SECN+ | 1,297 | 9-1 | | | February 21 | | No. 6 | Tiger Park | W 4-0 | A. Kilponen (4-0) | B. Lee (0-1) | | - | 1,295 | 10-1 | | | February 21 | | No. 6 | Tiger Park | W 12-0 (5) | S. Wickersham (3-0) | K. Sanchez (0-2) | | SECN+ | 1,295 | 11-1 | | | February 22 | Sam Houston State | No. 6 | Tiger Park | W 20-4 (5) | Shelbi Sunseri (3-0) | Darby Fitzpatrick (2-2) | | SECN+ | 1,345 | 12-1 | | | February 22 | Belmont | No. 6 | Tiger Park | W 4-0 | Maribeth Gorsuch (3-1) | Brittany Kennett (1-3) | | SECN+ | 1,535 | 13-1 | | | February 27 | | No. 4 | Anderson Family Field
Fullerton, CA | L 0-1 | Linnay Wilson (4-3) | Ali Kilponen (4-1) | | FLOSOFTBALL | 235 | 13-2 | | | February 27 | | No. 4 | Anderson Family Field | W 6-5 | Shelbi Sunseri (4-0) | GiGi Wall (1-2) | | FLOSOFTBALL | 435 | 14-2 | | | February 28 | | No. 4 | Anderson Family Field | W 5-1 | Shelbi Sunseri (5-0) | Chloe Romero (4-4) | | FLOSOFTBALL | 201 | 15-2 | | | February 28 | | No. 4 | Anderson Family Field | L 1-3 | Pat Moore (6-0) | Shelby Wickersham (3-1) | | FLOSOFTBALL | 389 | 15-3 | | | February 29 | | No. 4 | Anderson Family Field | W 6-2 | Shelby Wickersham (4-1) | Taylor Gilmore (3-3) | | FLOSOFTBALL | 376 | 16-3 | | |
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| March |
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| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SEC record |
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| March 6 | | No. 4 | Tiger Park | W (21-0) (5) | Shelbi Sunseri (6-0) | Megan Richards | | SECN+ | 1,349 | 17-3 | | | March 7 | Campbell | No. 4 | Tiger Park | W (5-1) | Ali Kilponen (5-1) | Georgeanna Barefoot (5-6) | | SECN+ | 1,571 | 18-3 | | | March 7 | | No. 4 | Tiger Park | W (5-1) | Shelby Wickersham (5-1) | Morgan Day | | SECN+ | 1,693 | 19-3 | | | March 8 | Illinois State | No. 4 | Tiger Park | W (9-1) | Maribeth Gorsuch (4-1) | Amanda Fox (1-3) | | SECN+ | 1,474 | 20-3 | | | March 10 | | No. 4 | Tiger Park | W (11-1) (5) | Ali Kilponen (6-1) | Jenna Hardy | | SECN+ | 1,362 | 21-3 | | | March 13 | | | Carolina Softball Stadium
Columbia, SC | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 14 | at South Carolina | | Carolina Softball Stadium | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 15 | at South Carolina | | Carolina Softball Stadium | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 18 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 21 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 22 | Mississippi State | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 23 | Mississippi State | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 25 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 27 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 28 | Georgia | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | March 29 | Georgia | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | |
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| April |
|---|
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SEC record |
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| April 1 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 3 | | | Ole Miss Softball Complex
Oxford, MS | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 4 | at Ole Miss | | Ole Miss Softball Complex | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 5 | at Ole Miss | | Ole Miss Softball Complex | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 7 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 10 | | | Rhoads Stadium
Tuscaloosa, AL | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 10 | at Alabama | | Rhoads Stadium | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 11 | at Alabama | | Rhoads Stadium | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 17 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 18 | Tennessee | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 19 | Tennessee | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 21 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 24 | | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 25 | Missouri | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 26 | Missouri | | Tiger Park | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | April 28 | | | Joe Miller Field
Lake Charles, LA | Cancelled | | | | | | | | |
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| May |
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| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SEC record |
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| May 1 | | | Jane B. Moore Field
Auburn, AL | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | May 2 | at Auburn | | Jane B. Moore Field | Cancelled | | | | | | | | | May 3 | at Auburn | | Jane B. Moore Field | Cancelled | | | | | | | | |
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| Post-season |
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Legend: = Win = Loss = Cancelled
Bold = LSU team member | |
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Source:[3] *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA poll.
Rankings
See main article: 2020 NCAA Division I softball rankings.
Notes and References
- Web site: Gorsuch Throws First Seven-Inning Perfect Game in Program History. 22 February 2020.
- Web site: Alabama softball named preseason favorite for 2020. January 15, 2020 . SEC Sports . January 15, 2020.
- Softball Announces 2020 Schedule. Louisiana State University Department of Athletics. November 4, 2019. January 8, 2020.
