For the fifth time in its last six games, the LSU softball team has fallen to a ranked opponent.
The No. 23 Tigers (30-14, 11-6 Southeastern Conference) got off on the wrong foot against No. 22 Florida State (39-10, 12-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), giving up two runs in the first inning en route to an 8-1 defeat.
Senior pitcher Brittany Mack opened the game by plunking Florida State junior infielder Tiffani Brown. The next batter hit a grounder right up the middle to Mack, who tossed the ball to sophomore second baseman Allison Falcon, but Falcon fumbled the ball as Brown slid in safely at second.
“Hitting the first batter of the game kind of sets the tone,” Mack said. “I kind of messed up our team on that one.”
Mack responded with back-to-back strikeouts, she but gave up a blooper to shallow center field which drove home two runs for the Seminoles.
LSU accumulated one hit in each of the first two innings, but the offense couldn’t get a runner across the plate.
Florida State struck again in the third inning, as sophomore outfielder Courtney Senas singled to left-center field, bringing home two runs to push the Seminoles’ lead to 4-0.
Mack was pulled in the fourth inning in favor of junior pitcher Rachele Fico after giving up a solo home run to sophomore Florida State catcher Celeste Gomez.
LSU coach Beth Torina said the Tigers weren’t ready for the game.
“They looked very unprepared tonight,” she said. “That’s my fault.”
The Tigers threatened with another hit in the bottom of the sixth inning, but back-to-back outs stranded LSU sophomore designated player Jacee Blades at second base.
Blades was the lone LSU player with multiple hits on the night.
The Tigers’ woes continued in the seventh inning, as Fico gave up her first hits of the night.
Sophomore third baseman Tammy Wray then bobbled a grounder, which allowed two runs to come home for the Seminoles.
Florida State’s eighth run of the night scored as a passed ball bounced off the glove of senior catcher Morgan Russell and flew into the backstop.
The Tigers showed some life in the bottom of the seventh inning, as freshman utility player Kailey McCasland reached first base and sophomore outfielder Alex Boulet came in to pinch run.
Boulet stole second and third and eventually made it home as sophomore first baseman Ashleigh Kuhn hit a two-out single.
LSU couldn’t find any more offense the rest of the night.
The Seminoles’ eight runs were the most given up by the Tigers at home this season. The defeat was LSU’s worst home loss since an 11-0 pounding last season against Tennessee.
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Contact Albert Burford at [email protected]