LSU softball is missing a super regional for the second-straight year. It’s the first time LSU came up short in back-to-back years since 2013-14.
LSU began the weekend at the Baton Rouge Regional 2-0 before dropping two games on Sunday. Not only did LSU blow a series lead, but the Tigers led at points in both games on Sunday.
When you factor in who the losses came to, in-state rival Louisiana, it stings even more. This was a tough weekend for LSU softball.
There was a lot to like about this team. Forty-two wins were eight better than the 2022 team, which got LSU back to hosting a regional with the 10th overall seed. Improvements were shown across the board with more consistent pitching and a lineup that found different ways to score runs.
Still, LSU’s Women’s College World Series drought continues. This marks the fifth straight postseason where LSU won’t be in Oklahoma City.
That’s not the expectation for this program and it’s not the expectation coach [autotag]Beth Torina[/autotag] set for herself when she made the WCWS in four of her first six seasons at LSU. Her predecessor and winningest coach in program history, [autotag]Yvette Girouard[/autotag], only made two WCWS.
There’s no shortage of softball talent in the area, evidenced by the teams put together at UL and McNeese.
LSU is also a place that cares about women’s sports. Softball draws attention in Baton Rouge. With attention comes pressure. Fans want to see this program win and win big.
All of this begs the question: What are the stakes for the program and Torina in 2024?
The improvements made this year are promising. It’s why I don’t think Torina should go anywhere right now. She’s done enough in her career to earn the benefit of the debut and with the transfer portal, it could be tough for anyone else to hold her roster together.
But next year, this program needs to get back to what it was in the 2010s.
That doesn’t mean it’s WCWS or nothing. Even a super regional appearance would put LSU back in the conversation where it belongs.
2024 will be the final year before juggernaut Oklahoma joins the conference. With all the changes coming to the SEC, next year could be a good time to step back and evaluate the future of this team. When that happens, Torina needs to show things are headed in the right direction.
LSU should return freshman phenom [autotag]Sydney Berzon[/autotag] but could lose a couple of big names, too. LSU’s staff would be wise to acquire some offensive power from the portal to pair with a recruiting class that features several top-100 players.
I understand the frustration among LSU fans. Nobody wants to see stagnation and there’s where LSU’s been the last few years. However, Torina has won a lot of games here and there’s nothing fundamentally different now than there was in 2017.
Next year isn’t make or break, but it’s close to it.
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