LSU Softball Team Opens Play In NCAA Regional At Tiger Park Friday Against Akron

TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES

For the fourth consecutive season, LSU will host an NCAA Regional in Baton Rouge this weekend.

The No. 18 Tigers (37-17) meet Mid-American Conference champions Akron (34-23) at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Park (ESPN+).

The first game of the double-elimination tournament will match Virginia Tech (46-10) and Sun Belt Conference Tournament champion South Alabama (32-25) at 3 p.m. (ESPN+).

LSU will host for the 17th time and 10th time in 11 seasons. The game will be broadcast on radio at 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge, and it will be streaming at LSUsports.net/live and in the LSU Sports Mobile App.

LSU Softball Team Will Host NCAA Regional This Weekend As 16th Overall Seed Versus Akron

The Tigers are 18-2 all-time against the regional field, including 16-2 versus South Alabama and 2-0 against Virginia Tech.

LSU and Akron will meet for the first time.

The Tigers enter the tournament as winners of five of their last six games. LSU is hitting .286 on the season with a pitching staff at 2.77 in ERA. Jalia Lassiter, a four-time NFCA All-Region and 2026 All-SEC selection, paces LSU with a .353 batting average and 59 runs scored. The senior outfielder is the seventh Tiger to record multiple seasons with 60 hits and 50 runs.

Kylee Edwards, who was named to the 2026 NFCA Gulf All-Region third team and the All-SEC first team, is hitting .344 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs. Sierra Daniel, a 2026 NFCA Gulf All-Region honoree, is hitting .340 with 30 RBIs.

Two-time NFCA Gulf All-Region pitcher Jayden Heavener leads the staff with a 12-8 record. Heavener has pitched 14 complete games and has four shutouts, including a no-hitter, and two saves. In 126.1 innings, the left-hander has 109 strikeouts.

Paytn Monticelli (8-3) has had the hot hand in the back half of the season for the Tigers. In her last five appearances as the pitcher of record, she is 5-0 with a 0.33 ERA over 21 innings. Cece Cellura is 8-5 with a 3.32 ERA in 92 and two-thirds innings. She has given up the fewest walks 16 among SEC pitchers logging a minimum of 90 innings.

For the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can follow the team on its social media channels, including www.facebook.com/lsusoftball, @lsusoftball and on Instagram and X.