More than 7,000 people shuffled in and out of Tiger Park this weekend to see the LSU softball team accomplish a feat it hasn’t performed since 2007: Clinching a Southeastern Conference Western Division title.
The No. 12 Tigers swept defending national champion No. 4 Alabama, thus guaranteeing at least a share of the division title with the Crimson Tide.
“In practice we got in trouble because Coach pointed out that we had an empty bench of SEC West trophies,” said junior right fielder Simone Heyward. “She put all the papers down and said this is all Alabama. … We decided we were going to win this.”
The Tigers completed the sweep — something they’ve only been able to achieve once in 2013 — in a dramatic fashion Saturday, staving off a deficit three times before junior Jacee Blades’ go-ahead, RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning pushed sophomore center fielder A.J. Andrews across the plate.
Blades’ game-winning RBI came only an inning after she made a dangerous diving catch over the left-field wall in the fourth inning.
“It was really, I think, just meant to be today,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “Our kids played hard, and sometimes you play hard and you get the breaks, and I think that’s what happened to us today.”
Senior pitcher Rachele Fico threw what will be her final SEC, regular-season start in Baton Rouge on Saturday in the Tigers’ Senior Day.
Fico recorded the final game-clinching out via strikeout, thus moving one strikeout away from tying former Tiger All-American Emily Turner for third on LSU’s all-time career strikeout list.
“I bleed purple and gold now, and I never really understood what this place was about until I got down here,” Fico said. “LSU, it sucks you up and turns you into a Tiger for life. I get it now. I get why this place is so special now.”
The close win for the Tigers was right on par with the rest of the weekend against Alabama, which is now 0-8 in the new Tiger Park.
LSU won all three games this weekend by one run each, with Thursday’s series opener going to extra innings before it was decided.
“It is really difficult to beat a team three times,” Fico said. “This conference is so talented from top to bottom. Anyone can beat anyone on any day. … We say Sundays are about heart and grit and determination. It comes down to who wants it more.”
The Tigers will transition into a midweek game against in-state opponent Northwestern State on Tuesday before heading into the final weekend of regular-season play when they travel to Georgia.
