The No. 3 LSU softball team defeated No. 24 Texas A&M, 6-3, to claim the series in front of 2,070 fans and a considerable number of dogs Sunday at Tiger Park.
The Tigers (41-5, 13-4 Southeastern Conference) jumped on the Aggies (33-14, 8-9 SEC) early, scoring in each of the first four innings at LSU’s ninth annual “Bark in the Park” game.
“That’s something [LSU coach Beth Torina] talks about all the time, is score every inning,” said junior catcher Kellsi Kloss. “If you have that goal of scoring every inning, then you’re going to get a lucky break where you score in big bunches in innings.”
Senior center fielder A.J. Andrews worked for a walk in the game’s first at bat and stole second to get into scoring position. Junior shortstop Bianka Bell singled to right center, scoring Andrews and giving LSU a 1-0 lead.
Texas A&M answered immediately, tying the game, 1-1, in the top of the second. Two singles, a sacrifice bunt and a fielding error by LSU sophomore second baseman Constance Quinn allowed the tying run to score.
LSU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the second by pushing three runs across.
Back-to-back singles from junior first baseman Sandra Simmons and junior third baseman Jenna Kreamer gave LSU two baserunners. A wild pitch allowed Simmons and Kreamer to advance to second and third.
Freshman left fielder Emily Griggs’ RBI single gave LSU the lead again, and sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry cleared the bases with a triple to the wall in center field, stretching LSU’s lead to 4-1.
In the bottom of the third inning, Kloss hit a solo home run to left field, good for her 10th of the season. Kloss’ home run was the her fourth in LSU’s last two SEC series.
“I’m telling myself to be very patient and just wait for a pitch I know I can handle,” Kloss said. “In the beginning of the season I got a little impatient. I just was anxious and trying to swing out [of] my shoes at pitches that weren’t really mine. Right now I’m seeing it really well, and I’m so comfortable just knowing I don’t have a lot of pressure on me because my offense is so good.”
Texas A&M junior first baseman Breanna Dozier answered with a solo home run of her own in the top of the fourth to trim LSU’s lead to 5-2. LSU stretched the lead to four again by adding another run in the bottom of the fourth.
Freshman pitcher Allie Walljasper allowed back-to-back singles to lead off the fifth but eventually pitched out of a bases loaded jam without allowing a run. However, after allowing back-to-back base hits again in the sixth, she was unable to escape unscathed.
A double from freshman catcher Ashley Walters cut the Tigers lead to 6-3. With runners on second and third and nobody out, the Aggies were poised to continue to chip away at LSU’s lead. But Walljasper closed the door again, recording three consecutive outs to preserve the Tigers’ three-run lead.
“I liked how Allie just continued to fight throughout the game,” Torina said. “I was really impressed with how she continued to do that. She battled. They did a good job, too, with their offense of making some adjustments, but Allie just continued to battle and let her defense play and they were able to keep us in the game.”
Walljasper allowed a base hit to start the seventh, but a strikeout and a double play ended the Aggies’ comeback bid. She allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits in seven innings of work. Walljasper said she focused on hitting her spots and relied on her defense behind her to get the job done.
LSU will go for the sweep at 6 p.m. tonight.