Tiger Rag News Services
LSU softball head coach Beth Torina will learn a lot about her 2026 team this weekend. No. 12/10 LSU will face four nationally ranked programs in a five-game weekend at the 2026 Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Florida.
It will be the first time the Tigers play in Clearwater since 2024. Torina said she is excited to see what her team can do against some of the best teams in college softball.
“We intentionally go to Clearwater to play that competition to try to get in front of fans, to try to put ourselves in an uncomfortable spot so when it comes time that we’re having to go on the road to South Carolina or Missouri or wherever, we’ll be prepared because we’ve been in those situations before,” Torina told Tiger Rag in January.
LSU (6-0) starts the weekend with two games on ESPN2: a 9 a.m. CT game versus No. 11/8 Nebraska (3-2) and a 2 p.m. CT matchup versus No. 23 Oklahoma State (3-2) on Thursday, Feb. 12. The Tigers then play three games in three days. They face No. 22/19 Duke (4-1) at 3:30 p.m. CT on Friday, Feb. 13 (ESPN+), UCF (5-1) at 9 a.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 14 (SEC Network), and finish with No. 6/7 UCLA (5-0) at 9 a.m. CT on Sunday, Feb. 15 (ESPN2).
LSU is 21-16 against this weekend’s tournament field, including a 3-2 record against Nebraska, a 13-5 mark against Oklahoma State, 0-1 versus Duke, 1-0 against UCF, and 4-8 against UCLA. The Tigers are also 8-5 over three appearances at the Clearwater Invitational (2019, 2022, 2024).
The Bayou Bengals logged four run-rule victories, two shutouts, and a walk-off home run at the 2026 Tiger Classic to begin the season. LSU has a .313 batting average on 42 hits, including 21 extra-base hits. LSU ended the opening weekend leading the country with five triples and 39 walks and ranked fourth in the nation with 19 stolen bases. In the circle, LSU has a 2.00 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 35.0 innings, and a defense that has turned three double plays, ranking in the Top 20 in Division I softball.
Junior second baseman Sierra Daniel leads the club with a .471 batting average on eight hits. Sophomore first baseman Tori Edwards follows with a .385 average and a team-high 1.000 slugging percentage, totaling two home runs and a triple. Fifth-year senior Tatum Clopton and sophomore Jayden Heavener are both 2-0 in the circle. Clopton owns a 0.00 ERA with nine strikeouts in 8.2 innings and a 0.74 opposing batting average. Heavener has a 1.91 ERA, 17 strikeouts in 11.0 innings, and a complete game shutout.
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