The LSU softball team launched three home runs, including a seventh-inning grand slam from freshman first baseman Sandra Simmons to notch a 10-6 victory against BYU on Thursday in the first game of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.
Eight of the Tigers’ 10 runs came from long balls, with junior infielder Allison Falcon and senior third baseman Tammy Wray each adding her own two-run home runs in addition to Simmons’ grand slam.
No. 11 LSU (11-1) led 6-2 before the bottom of the sixth inning, when BYU (4-7) tallied three runs off junior pitcher Meghan Patterson and one run off senior pitcher Rachele Fico in relief of Patterson.
Simmons’ base-clearing homer in the seventh gave LSU a four-run inning to match BYU’s and lifted the Tigers to their highest run total of the season.
“The coolest part about today’s game is that we were able to answer back every time after BYU scored,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “That was really exciting for us to be able to do that. It hasn’t been a typical thing for our team to outslug someone.”
The Tigers’ three home runs on Thursday raised their season total to 13, tying their total from last season.
Simmons, a California native, finished with the best performance of her young LSU career, playing in front of her family for the first time in an LSU uniform.
“It’s very exciting for me to be back home in California and represent LSU in front of my family for the first time,” Simmons said. “It’s still all about doing anything I can to help our team get the win.”
LSU snatched a 2-0 lead in the first inning with the first of its three home runs. Falcon’s two-run shot scored sophomore outfielder A.J. Andrews, who reached on a leadoff single to start the game.
Wray launched LSU’s second home run of the day in the fifth for a two-run shot that gave LSU a four-run lead.
Wray’s homer was her team-leading third of the season. Her two RBI’s Thursday also gave her a team-high 11 RBI’s, two more than her 2012 total.
“You have to give all the credit to our hitters today,” Fico said. Fico was awarded the win, pitching the final two innings of the contest.
Patterson received a no-decision, pitching five innings and giving up four earned runs on nine BYU hits.
“Meghan definitely missed some pitches location wise and was a little bit up in the zone,” Torina said. “She made more mistakes than she’s made in a while. At the same time, BYU is a quality offense. They are known for their offense and will make you pay when mistakes are made.”
Thursday’s matchup was the first of five games in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic this weekend. The Tigers will close out the weekend with games against Ohio State and UNLV on Friday, No. 14 Arizona on Saturday and No. 16 UCLA on Sunday.
The Tigers’ games against Arizona and UCLA will be their first against ranked opponents since facing then No. 22-ranked North Carolina twice in LSU’s season-opening Tiger Classic tournament. LSU’s lone loss of the season came in a 3-1 defeat in the second game against the Tar Heels.
