LSU softball ranked No. 12 in 2024 preseason poll

January 16, 2024 Tiger Rag News Services Softball 0

Sydney Berzon feature picture — LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon was named third team All-American and earned a spot on the D1Softball Freshman All-American team. PHOTO BY: Jonathan Mailhes

LSU’s softball team was ranked No. 12 in the 2024 preseason poll conducted by Softball America.

Coach Beth Torina’s team, which went 42-17 and reached the championship game of the NCAA Regional, has 18 letter winners returning – a group that features an All-American, NFCA Gold Glove winner, five NFCA All-South Region members and six All-SEC selections.

They will also feature an experienced team with eight seniors of graduate students.

Sophomore pitcher Sydney Berzon became the first LSU freshman pitcher since 2015 to earn All-America recognition (NFCA Third Team) and senior center fielder Ciara Briggs earned her second Gold Glove award.

Berzon led LSU in wins a year with a 14-8 record with a team-high 127 strikeouts, four shutouts and three saves. Briggs, an All-South Region first team member and All-SEC second team selection, batted .347 with seven doubles, two homers, 24 RBIs, 68 base hits and a team-best 46 runs scored. She also won her second straight NFCA Gold Glove award.

Graduate shortstop Taylor Pleasants was an All-South first team choice, member of the All-SEC Defensive Tean and second team selection on the All-SEC team. She hit .346, tied for the team lead with 11 doubles, had a team-best 53 RBIs to go with eight homers. Senior left fielder Ali Newland, a first team All-SEC and All-South Region selection, hit .329 with nine doubles, six homers and 38 RBIs.

Senior third baseman Danieca Coffey earned first team All-South Region laurels with team-highs in batting (.392) and hits (74) with six doubles, three triples, two homers and 24 RBIs. She also led the Tigers with 12 stolen bases. Junior right fielder McKenzie Redoutey was a second team All-SEC choice and earned a spot on the conference’s all-defensive team, hitting .306, tying for the team lead with 11 doubles, six homers and 35 RBIs.

LSU led the SEC with 489 hits and ranked third batting average (.312). The Tigers pitching staff also ranked third in ERA (2.09), and defensively was second in fielding percentage (.975) with a program record for fewest errors (41).

LSU opens the season at home against Nicholls at 6 p.m. on Feb. 8 before hosting the LSU Invitational Feb. 9-11 when they welcome Memphis and Pittsburgh.