It’s said that revenge is a dish best served cold, and the LSU softball team handed Kentucky a freezing serving of it this weekend.
After being swept by the Wildcats last season in their final Southeastern Conference series, the Tigers repaid the favor, sweeping Kentucky in LSU’s first home SEC series of the season.
The No. 13 Tigers (23-5, 5-1 SEC) made a statement in game one Friday, dominating No. 17 Kentucky (19-7, 2-4 SEC) for a 7-1 victory. But one victory wasn’t enough to satisfy LSU’s want for payback, and the Tigers proceeded to snatch games two and three from Kentucky in demoralizing fashion.
Kentucky led in the late innings of games two and three, but LSU struck back in both outings to secure the sweep.
“We definitely owed them something,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “Hopefully we proved ourselves back to them this year.”
Senior pitcher Rachele Fico, who pitched all seven innings of the Tigers’ win Friday and the final three-and-one-third innings to earn the win Saturday, said she was looking forward to the rematch ever since Kentucky swept LSU last season.
“Any time you get swept, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth,” Fico said after her seven-inning gem Friday. “… I don’t want to get swept in my senior season because I won’t have another chance to go back at them again.”
Saturday’s game went to extra innings tied at 2-2, and Kentucky scored first in the top of the ninth, taking a 3-2 lead on a solo home run from freshman second baseman Ansley Smith. The Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning for a walkoff 4-3 victory.
LSU trailed in Sunday’s outing for the majority of the game after Kentucky took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. The Wildcats looked to have a firm grip on avoiding the sweep, but LSU came through with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to steal a 3-2 win.
In both games two and three, the Tigers’ slap hitters executed small ball plays that directly influenced LSU’s wins.
LSU sophomore center fielder A.J. Andrews drove in the tying RBI with a bunt single in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game. Then junior utility player Jacee Blades finished off the win with a walkoff infield hit.
Andrews came through in the clutch again Sunday, hitting a two-RBI single that plated the tying and go-ahead runs in the sixth inning.
“We did really good as a team this weekend,” Andrews said. “I don’t think it was just me who provided for this team. I definitely came through with some clutch moments, but so did a lot of other people. If other people aren’t on base, then the runs don’t come in.”
LSU’s small ball wins are a change from the winning formula the Tigers employed for the majority of this season. Prior to this weekend, the Tigers’ newfound power offense and 22 home runs had provided the bulk of their success.
Torina credited the wins in games two and three to Andrews, Blades and the other slappers, and she added it was nice to see the Tigers pull out wins in different ways.
“Our slappers, who have been the unsung heroes, finally get to be the ones in the limelight today,” Torina said. “They’ve done so much for us all year. They finally get to be the ones that win the ballgame for us.”
In addition to quenching their thirst for revenge, the Tigers’ sweep moved them to 13-1 at home this season and advanced their record against ranked opponents to 6-4. LSU’s only loss at Tiger Park this season came in a 3-1 loss to then-No. 22 North Carolina in the Tigers’ season-opening Tiger Classic tournament.
LSU has a quick turnaround before hosting a double-header against Georgia Southern on Tuesday that will put the Tigers’ current five-game winning streak on the line.
