The No. 4 LSU softball team can claim one thing no other program can right now

LSU softball began the season with high hopes, but few could have anticipated a 19-0 starting month that has left it the only unbeaten Division I team.

The No. 4 Tigers have hit their stride with Southeastern Conference play set to begin Friday at Kentucky.

LSU showed toughness and an ability to win in multiple ways in taking six games by scores of 3-2, 9-1, 3-1, 2-1, 2-1 and 2-0 in the Purple and Gold Challenge. Certainly, the Tigers showed their early season pitching success is no fluke but also that it is a top-notch defensive team with an offense that finds a way.

“I like the fight this team showed,” senior outfielder Ali Newland said Saturday. “I’m super proud of the pitching staff for keeping us in it and giving the offense a chance.”

The Tigers did lose leadoff hitter and third baseman Danieca Coffey, who missed three games and part of a fourth after suffering an injury Saturday. She was on crutches and her prognosis won’t become clear until after an MRI. Maddox McKee stepped in and acquitted herself well. Her double helped LSU score a run in a 2-1 win over McNeese, and she made a difficult fielding play to end the game with the tying run on third.

Still, Coffey is a significant loss as a table-setter who is hard to keep off base, but LSU coach Beth Torina cited the way her team has played as exhibiting the strength of its depth.

“It was tough not writing Danieca’s name in the lineup,” Torina said. “I don’t know what it is, 200-plus games Danieca and Ciara (Briggs) back-to-back?

“It feels better knowing we have a lot of quality backups. We have two freshmen out there in a year we’re supposed to have all these seniors. You stop and think about how talented they are and feel good about the situation. Maddy really stepped up.”

LSU also has been without senior second baseman Karli Petty, who has been replaced by Sierra Daniel. She has started 10 games and is batting .423.

In the circle, transfer Kelley Lynch won two games over the weekend, including a two-hit shutout against Louisiana Tech. It was her second shutout, which she performed without any run support until the sixth inning. She also hit a two-run single for the difference in a 3-1 win over San Diego State.

Sophomore catcher Maci Bergeron was another Tiger who stepped up. She hit a two-out, two-run single in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Tech. Bergeron had a run-scoring single in the 2-1 win over McNeese on Saturday, hit her second homer of the season against San Diego State on Friday and also threw out three runners trying to steal while starting four of the six games.

“She has a lot of talents and skills, but her arm is just off the charts,” Torina said of Bergeron. “We’re getting to see that a lot more this year. She did a lot of things really well. That’s just the icing on the cake.

“Kelley (Lynch) was great all weekend. I thought she threw a gem of a game yesterday and then came up with a big hit. That is why we wanted her here, so she could make a big difference and give us the depth to do big things. The lights shine bright and she continues to perform. I am very proud we had her bat going this weekend, and I think she was incredible overall.”