Beth Torina explains Kelly Lynch starting in circle for LSU despite Sydney Berzon being listed as starter

Ahead of Game 2 of the Stanford Super Regional on Saturday evening, LSU released a lineup showing Sydney Berzon as the starting pitcher and Kelly Lynch as the designated player. But at the start of the game, Lynch took the ball in the circle.

Speaking to the ESPN crew about the lineup shuffle, LSU head coach Beth Torina explained it had to do with Berzon being a pitcher only and Lynch being both a pitcher and hitter. Lynch was always the planned starting pitcher against Stanford on Saturday, according to Torina.

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“It wasn’t a change, just how we have to write the card on a day where we have a pitcher that hits and another one that doesn’t so, wasn’t a change, it was planned,” Torina said. “We’re really confident in Kelly Lynch. I think she’s done such a good job for us on the mound lately. Really confident in what she can do and just the way the lineup card fell today.”

Torina demurred when asked if Berzon might pitch later in the game.

“We’ll see whoever we need to see,” Torina said. “We have Rae Chaffin available, we have the whole staff available. So whoever we might need, we’ve got confidence in a lot of people and we have some good matchups, I think, in our bullpen. So we’ll do whatever it takes at this point in the year, that’s what we’re here for, right? Whatever it takes.” 

2024 NCAA Softball Super Regional matchups

Austin Super Regional: No. 1 Texas vs. No. 16 Texas A&M

Game 1: Texas A&M 6, Texas 5
Game 2: Texas 9, Texas A&M 8 (9 innings)
Game 3 (if necessary): TBD

Norman Super Regional: No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Florida State

Game 1: Oklahoma 11, Florida State 3
Game 2: Oklahoma 4, Florida State 2
Oklahoma advances to WCWS

Knoxville Super Regional: No. 3 Tennessee vs. No. 14 Alabama

Game 1: Tennessee 3, Alabama 2
Game 2: Alabama 3, Tennessee 2 (14 innings)
Game 3: Sunday, TBD

Gainesville Super Regional: No. 4 Florida vs. Baylor

Game 1: Florida 4, Baylor 2
Game 2: Baylor 5, Florida 2
Game 3 (if necessary): Sunday at 2 p.m.

Stillwater Super Regional: No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. Arizona

Game 1: Oklahoma State 8, Arizona 0 (5 innings)
Game 2: Saturday at 7 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary): TBD

Los Angeles Super Regional: No. 6 UCLA vs. No. 11 Georgia

Game 1: UCLA 8, Georgia 0
Game 2: UCLA 6, Georgia 1
UCLA advances to WCWS

Columbia Super Regional: No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 10 Duke

Game 1: Duke 6, Missouri 3
Game 2: Missouri 3, Duke 1
Game 3: Sunday, TBD

Stanford Super Regional: No. 8 Stanford vs. No. 9 LSU

Game 1: LSU 11, Stanford 1
Game 2: Saturday at 9 p.m.
Game 3 (if necessary): TBD

All times ET.