The No. 22 LSU softball team bounced back from the first 0-2 start in program history to finish the 2012 Tiger Classic at an even 2-2, punctuated by a 8-0, five-inning victory over Louisiana Tech on Sunday.
The Tigers (2-2) fell in its season opener, 5-3, at the hands of Penn State on Friday night.
LSU senior pitcher Brittany Mack struck out 13 Nittany Lions (1-3), a career-high in a seven-inning game, but conceded five runs in the fifth inning, including a three-run and two-out double.
“I wanted to throw a different pitch, but I didn’t,” Mack said. “Every time you do that, you know it’s going to be the pitch that they get. I learned my lesson.”
Mack also started the first game of a doubleheader Saturday against No. 15 Michigan (4-0), allowing only two runs seven innings.
However, the Tigers’ bats were limited to only one run on three hits in a 2-1 losing effort to the Wolverines.
“I felt like we played right with them, and it could have gone either way,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “We still need to have a little more on offense.”
In the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, junior pitcher Rachele Fico got the start against Penn State and shut down the Nittany Lions’ bats.
Fico allowed only two hits and struck out 10 in eight innings.
“I just wanted to keep my team in it long enough so we could come through and score,” Fico said.
In the bottom of the eighth in a scoreless game, sophomore third baseman Tammy Wray came to bat with one out and runners at the corners.
After two quick strikes, Wray fought back to a full count and eventually hit a hard grounder up the middle, which was fielded by the shortstop. Senior left fielder Ashley Langoni sprinted home for the game’s winning run and the Tigers’ first win of the season.
“[Wray] made a really good adjustment with two strikes,” Torina said. “It was exciting and good to get the first [win].”
LSU’s final game of the weekend, a Sunday contest against Louisiana Tech (1-4), showed Torina the capability of the Tigers’ offense.
The Tigers scored eight runs on eight hits, including a two-run double by freshman second baseman Rikki Alcaraz in the bottom of the fifth. The hit and two RBIs were Alcaraz’s first in her LSU career.
Fellow freshman and third baseman Kailey McCasland also plated a run with her first career hit, an RBI single through the left side in the third inning.
“I liked seeing the freshmen out there today,” Torina said. “They didn’t play like freshmen.”
Fico threw five more scoreless innings and allowed only one hit in, earning her second win in two chances this season.
The Tigers return to action Wednesday when they host Florida State (5-0) at 6 p.m. at Tiger Park.
 
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Contact Scott Branson at [email protected]