With Santa Fe On Her Mind, Sunseri Guides LSU To Supers

BATON ROUGE-- Shelbi Sunseri took the field at Tiger Park with two things on her mind. She wanted to help her team reach Super Regionals and make her hometown proud.

As she took her position in the circle, she did it while wearing a green and gold bow.

Sunseri, a graduate of Santa Fe High School (Texas), wanted to respect the 10 who lost their lives on the one-year anniversary of the Santa Fe High School shooting.

She did that and more. Sunseri went the distance on Saturday and pitched a 13-inning complete-game victory and was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two walks. She followed up that performance on Sunday in winner-take-all game by going 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.

“I was just trying to make my hometown proud really," Sunseri said. "Doing this for something bigger than myself.”

On a Sunday afternoon that started with tornado warnings in the area, the Tigers punched their ticket to the Super Regionals, but Texas Tech made sure they earned it.

In the first game, which was a rematch of the 13-inning marathon from Saturday, Texas Tech played with the tenacity of a team who had something to prove. The Red Raiders went head-to-head with LSU in front of one of the best crowds of this Regional and got the win in 5-4 game that saw Texas Tech out hit LSU 7-6.

In the rubber match, LSU come back from an early deficit to win the Baton Rouge Regional 5-1. T

he Tigers have had to claw their way back in each of the games against Texas Tech this weekend and head coach Beth Torina couldn't be prouder.

“I am really proud of my team as our motto for the year is ‘Fight All the Way’ and that is what we set out to do," Torina said. "We did not have a target number of runs or wins, we just wanted to fight, and I think our team did exactly that this weekend.”

Sunseri’s performance in the circle and at the plate definitely made her home town proud. She pitched in all three games against Texas Tech, throwing a total of 226 pitches on the weekend while only allowing only five runs off 12 hits.

“What else can you say about Shelbi Sunseri," said Torina. "She hits, pitches, and she gives us everything she has and then some.”

Sunseri’s homer came an inning after LSU third baseman Amanda Sanchez sent a rocket over the right field wall to put LSU on top 2-1. Sanchez who hasn’t been as productive at the plate in the last few games as she had been during most of the regular season, was moved down in the lineup for the final game Sunday.

LSU will have to travel to Minneapolis for a Super Regional at Minnesota but with pride and passion, Sunseri will be there and try to lead the Tigers back to Oklahoma City.

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