The Tigers opened the day well beating the South Alabama Jaguars 8-1. They followed this up falling 3-2 to Central Arkansas.
The biggest similarity I can draw about the games today is the LSU offense corresponded with the weather. To open Saturday’s double header against Southern Alabama the sun was still up, temperature was around the low 70s, and the Tigers offense exploded in the fourth inning to secure the win. When the sun found its home in the western sky, the offense seemed to fall dormant against Central Arkansas, coming up a run short in the process.
In the games LSU was 2-11 and 2-12 with runners in scoring position, the two hits against South Alabama accounting for seven runs compared to only two runs against Central Arkansas.
“They threw a nice game against us, and we didn’t come up with the timely hits” said Coach Beth Torina following the loss to Central Arkansas.
The Tigers left six runners on base in the first game of the day and followed that up by stranding eight.
Ali Kilponen looked great out in the circle for the Tigers in game one, securing her second win of the season. Throwing all seven innings she allowed only four hits, one earned run and totaled seven strikeouts.
Shelbi Sunseri, who almost had the day off from pitching, went three of seven in the batter’s box with five runs batted in, worked a walk, smoked a double and smacked two homeruns while striking out the only batter she faced in relief.
Georgia Clark did most her damage in game one and went three of eight with two RBIs, a double, and two homeruns.
“I think we really saw what she was trying to do to us in the gameplan wise” said Clark on the first game of the day. “Shelbi [Sunseri] and I both bounced back pretty well those first couple of bats into our last few. We tried doing that in [game two] and it got away from us.”
Freshman Raelin Chaffin made her debut for the Tigers against Central Arkansas with a solid outing. Working into the fifth inning her final line was 4+ innings pitched with five strikeouts, five hits, two walks and two runs with one earned.
“I thought she did some good things. She’s got a big future ahead of her. I think it’s a good start to getting her on her way, and she’ll continue to get better every time she takes the mound.” Said Torina following Chaffin’s first start.
Four games into the season and there are plenty of things to work out for the Tigers. There was plenty of rotating of players today in the lineups both offensively and defensively. There were 18 different players used in the second game today as these pre-SEC tournaments are a great way to see what talent the roster is built with.
LSU has two more games in the Tiger Classic and will face Illinois to start day three before getting a rematch against Central Arkansas to wrap up the weekend. The Tigers topped the Illini 4-2 on day one of the weekend.