LEADING OFF
• The No. 3 seed Omaha Mavericks enter the 2023 Baton Rouge Regional with an overall record of 32-15 after a 15-5 conference season. Last weekend, the Mavericks captured their first Summit League Championship to qualify for their first NCAA Tournament berth in the DI era.
 
QUICK HITS
• Omaha went undefeated last weekend on conference tournament play. They opened up with a 5-1 victory over NDSU then followed that up with some hot bats in the semifinals, defeating South Dakota 14-2 in five innings. With a one-hit Kam Meyer shutout against SDSU, the Mavericks defeated the Jackrabbits 1-0 in the championship game.
• Five Mavericks in Olivia Aden, Kamryn Meyer, Maggie O' Brien, Lynsey Tucker and Rachel Weber were named to the 2023 Summit Softball All-Tournament Team. Meyer was named Championship MVP for her one-hit shutout performance.
• The Mavericks averaged .258 at the plate this season with an OPS of .736. They scored 192 runs on 305 hits, including 10 triples, 16 home runs, and a Summit League-leading 73 doubles. Their on-base percentage of .357 ranked second in the League.
• On the defensive side, the Mavericks committed 35 errors, the fewest by any team in the Summit League. Omaha owned the second-best fielding percentage in the League at .972. 
•The circle is where the Mavericks were the most dominant this season. Omaha pitchers led the Summit League in ERA (2.00), runs (113) earned runs (88) triples (4) and home runs (15) allowed.
• At the end of the regular season, seven Mavericks were named to All-Summit League teams. Pitcher Kamryn Meyer and second baseman Lynsey Tucker were tabbed All-League First-Team members. Pitcher Sydney Nuismer, catcher Sydney Ross, and right fielder Rachel Weber earned All-League Second-Team. Shortstop Maggie O'Brien and left fielder Ava Rongisch were named All-League Honorable Mentions.

SCOUTING THE LSU TIGERS
Head Coach: Beth Torina
Career: 619-329 (16)

The Tigers earned the No. 1 seed in the Baton Rouge Regional after finishing 40-15 overall and 13-11 in conference play. They enter the NCAA Tournament having won two of their last three games, and are ranked 9th in the Division I NCAA RPI rankings. The Tigers are 26-7 at Tiger Park this season. The Mavericks and Tigers have met each other just once all-time. LSU took the lone matchup between the two. LSU's .311 team batting average ranked third in the SEC this season.

TIGERS TO WATCH
• Danieca Coffey leads the Tigers in batting average with a .386. She also tops LSU in runs (40), hits (68), triples (3) and on-base percentage (.483). the junior infielder's 85 total bases ranks second on the team and is just one off team leader Georgia Clark. Coffey's 68 hits ranks third in the SEC.
• In the circle, Sydney Berzon has 129 innings pitched this season for LSU, the most of any Tiger on roster.Berzon is 13-7 this season with a 1.68 ERA. She's pitched nine complete games and registered 3 shutouts and 121 strikeouts. Ali Kilponen has tossed 126.1 innings of softball this season for LSU. She has a 2.16 ERA and is 13-7 this year. Kilponen has 13 complete games with five shutouts and has tossed 111 strikeouts this campaign.


SCOUTING THE Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Head Coach: Gerry Glasco
Career: 251-66 (6)
Louisiana: Same

The Ragin' Cajuns earned the No. 2 seed in the Baton Rouge Regional. Louisiana captured the Sun Belt Conference regular season championship with a 22-2 record in conference play and an overall record of 46-13. They didn't stop there as they swept their way to the Sun Belt tournament championship allowing just two runs in three games. Their 2.17 stolen bases per game is good for 12th in the NCAA while their 1.22 home runs per game is 20th. Omaha and Louisiana have never met in the Division I era.

RAGIN' CAJUNS TO WATCH
• Laney Credeur and Mihyia Davis lead Louisiana in hitting. They boast .389 and .383 batting averages respectively. Davis has recorded 46 stolen bases this season which ranks third in the NCAA. In 162 at bats, she has an OBP of .420. The outfielder has 40 runs scored, 62 hits (leads team), two triples and 76 total bases (5th on team)
•In the circle, Kendra Lamb has a an ERA of 1.42. That ranks 21st in the NCAA and 2nd in the Sun Belt. Her 3.39 hits per 7 innings is 4th in the NCAA and 1st in the Sun Belt. She records 9.1 strikeouts per 7 innings which leads the Sun Belt and puts her 22nd in the NCAA. Lamb has a .81 Walks Hits per Innings Pitched(WHIP) and is 9-1 on the season.
•Sam Landry is 17-4 in the circle this season for the Ragin' Cajuns. In 36 appearances and 131.2 innings pitched, she holds a 2.02 ERA. Landry has recorded 139 strikeouts and and eight complete games.

SCOUTING THE PRAIRIE VIEW A&M PANTHERS
Head Coach: Vernon Bland
Career: 213-269 (12)
Prairie View: Same

Entering the Baton Rouge Regional as the 4 seed, the Panthers went 30-18 and 22-2 in the conference to capture the SWAC regular season title. Prairie View went an undefeated 4-0 in the SWAC postseason tournament to earn their second consecutive SWAC tournament title. Omaha and Prairie view have never met before in the Division I era.

PANTHERS TO WATCH
•Audrey Garcia leads the Panthers in batting average with a .340. So far this season, she has 36 hits, eight of which were doubles. She's crossed home plate 16 times for the Panthers which is good for 6th on the team.
• Biviana Figueroa tops the panthers in hits with 45. She has recorded 136 at bats and registered 24 runs (2nd on team), 21 RBI's, three homeruns and 62 total bases. Appearing in and starting 46 games, she has only struck out six times.
•In the pitchers  circle, the Panthers are led by Jerrica Rojas. Producing an 11-2 record this season, she holds a team best 3.02 ERA. In 86.1 innings pitched, Rojas has nine complete games and 47 strikeouts