Everything you need to know ahead of LSU softball’s Super Regional with Stanford

LSU softball will take on Stanford on the road in the Stanford Super Regional for a spot in the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The two teams will meet in a best-of-three series at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium Friday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m. If a game three is needed it’ll take place on Sunday.

From The Boot to The Farm #DealUsIn pic.twitter.com/vTlosarCkQ

— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) May 23, 2024

LSU has a 5-1 record in postseason play and is outscoring its opponent 24-6, outhitting them 42-25 and has a 0.89 ERA with 43 strikeouts and a .157 opposing batting average in 47.1 innings. The Tigers went a perfect 3-0 in the Baton Rouge Regional while tossing two shutouts and outscoring its opponents 18-1.

Sydney Berzon is LSU’s top pitcher. She’s 19-8 in the circle with a 1.62 ERA and has 177 strikeouts in 194.1 innings of work. Ciara Briggs leads the team with a .330 batting average and 42 runs this season. First baseman Raeleen Gutierrez is second on the team with 55 hits and 40 RBI. Taylor Pleasants leads the team with 10 home runs and 46 RBI and has been on fire during the Tigers’ postseason run.

Stanford is making its third straight Super Regional appearance. The Stanford Regional came down to a winner-takes-all game against Cal-State Fullerton. Stanford came out of the decisive game seven of the regional with a 4-2 win.

Stanford has dominated on the defensive side of the ball this season and has a 1.82 ERA with 444 strikeouts in 407.0 innings and allows a .212 opposing batting average. NiJaree Canady, the team’s ace, has a 21-4 record and a 0.52 ERA with 292 strikeouts in 187.2 innings. She’s the only pitcher in the country with an ERA below 1.00 and leads the nation in strikeouts per seven innings.

Regan Krause is behind Canady with a 20-7 in the circle. She has a 2.71 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 144.2 frames.

Outfielder Emily Jones leads the team in hits (60), batting average (.347) and stolen bases (15). She also has 20 RBI this season. Catcher Aly Kaneshiro (.267) and infielder Ava Gall (.271) lead the team with 11 and 10 home runs. Kaneshiro leads the team with 39 RBI.

LSU and Stanford last played each other in the NCAA Tournament in 2007. LSU claimed all three games it played in that regional including an 11-5 win over the Cardinal. The last meeting between the two teams in the regular season came in 2019 when Stanford took the game 7-5.

Game one will be aired on ESPNU.