Overall Record: 23-5 [5-1 SEC]

Last Week: 4-0
March 13 - Nicholls State [W, 8-0 - 5 Innings]
March 15 - No. 17 Kentucky [W, 7-1]
March 16 - No. 17 Kentucky [W, 4-3 - 9 Innings]
March 17 - No. 17 Kentucky [W, 3-2]

This Week:
March 19 - Georgia Southern [Tiger Park, 5 p.m., TV: CST [Gm. 1], Radio: Country Legends 104.9 FM]
March 22 - South Carolina [Tiger Park, 6 p.m., Radio: Country Legends 104.9 FM]
March 23 - South Carolina [Tiger Park, 3 p.m., TV: CST, Radio: Country Legends 104.9 FM]
March 24 - South Carolina [Tiger Park, 1 p.m., Radio: Country Legends 104.9 FM]

Nominee for SEC Offense Player of the Week

A.J. Andrews, So., Oldsmar, Florida
Andrews hit safely in all four games last week and provided the offensive heroics in clutch situations to highlight LSU's sweep of No. 17 Kentucky. After turning in two RBIs during the series opener, Andrews left the middle game of the series after a violent collision with a Kentucky player in the third inning. She eventually returned to the game and drove home the game-tying run during the ninth inning as LSU rallied for the eventual 4-3 walkoff win. The next day Andrews provided the go-ahead two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning as LSU claimed a 3-2 comeback victory. She also added two stolen bases and is a perfect 10-for-10 on the season.  

Nominee for SEC Pitcher of the Week

Ashley Czechner, Jr., Pawley's Island, South Carolina
Czechner was magnificent in the circle and was touched up for only three hits en route to a pair of wins. She tallied a 1.17 ERA for the week, and wrapped up LSU's sweep of No. 17 Kentucky with a complete game effort in her first career SEC start. In the process, the junior-right hander improved to 6-0 on the season and limited the opposition to a paltry .081 batting average. Czechner also fired her first career shutout, a one-hitter versus Nicholls State.

Nominee for SEC Freshman of the Week

Sandra Simmons, Fr., Fountain Valley, California
Simmons continued her strong play with a pair of multi-RBI games. Her two-run double during the Nicholls State game set the tone for LSU's eight-run first inning, while her two-run two-bagger in the Kentucky series opener gave the Tigers a 4-1 advantage after three innings of play. She also drew a walk and scored the game-winning win as LSU erased a 2-0 deficit with a three-run sixth inning in the series finale. 

Notes on the Tigers
No. 13 LSU returned to the friendly confines of Tiger Park after spending the last three weekends on the road and posted a 4-0 week highlighted by a weekend sweep of No. 17 Kentucky. The Tigers won the last two games of the UK series during their final at-bat, and LSU has compiled a 5-1 mark to maintain the top spot in the SEC Western Division race. Overall, the Tigers have won five straight games and nine of their last 11 outings. In the circle, Ashley Czechner and Rachele Fico picked two wins apiece. Czechner tossed her first career shutout, a one-hitter versus Nicholls State. She moved to 6-0 on the season with another complete game effort and clinched the series sweep over Kentucky. The junior right-hander held the opposition to a .083 batting average. Fico has won all four of her SEC decisions and became the fourth hurler in program history to surpass 700 career strikeouts. She also earned a relief win in game two of the UK series and improved to 14-4 for the season. Offensively, A.J. Andrews came away with the late game heroics for the Tigers. With LSU down 3-2 in the ninth inning of game two, Andrews executed a squeeze bunt to perfection to plate the game-tying run before LSU eventually earned the 4-3 walkoff triumph. She was at it again in Sunday's series finale and knocked the winning two-run, two-out single during the sixth inning. Sandra Simmons also chipped four RBIs, while Jacee Blades and Tammy Wray picked up three RBIs for the week. Blades hit safely in all four games to improve her team-leading batting average to .381 for the season and came away with the walkoff single to win the middle game of the UK series. LSU continues its 10-game homestand with a mid-week twin bill versus Georgia Southern [Tuesday - 5 p.m.] before South Carolina visits the Capital City for a three-game series. Game times are slated for 6 p.m. [Friday], 3 p.m. [Saturday] and 1 p.m. [Sunday].