After an uncharacteristic six-game losing streak with sweeps coming at the hands of No. 3 Florida and No. 2 Alabama, the LSU softball team (31-10, 10-6) got back on track Wednesday with a double-header sweep at Kentucky (15-24, 3-13).
“It is great to get back in the win column,” said coach Yvette Girouard. “We accomplished what we came here to do. It’s going to be nice to get back to Tiger Park since we’ve been on the road for a little bit.”
The Tigers took the first game in convincing fashion, winning 13-2 in six innings by run-rule.
The game entered the sixth inning as a 2-2 pitching duel. LSU senior pitcher Dani Hofer pitched a complete game, allowing two hits and striking out nine batters.
Then the bats came to life.
Seven of the team’s 12 hits came in the sixth inning, including a grand slam by senior first baseman Erika Sluss.
LSU sophomore right fielder Rachel Mitchell added a homer and two RBIs of her own to help secure the win.
Sluss came through in familiar fashion in the evening’s second game. Senior left fielder Quinlon Duhon homered to put the Tigers up 1-0 to start the second inning, but Kentucky battled back to lead 2-1 at the end of three innings. With two outs in the fourth inning, Sluss drove a three-run home run over the center field wall to give LSU a 4-2 lead – one they would not relinquish.
“We had some great at-bats today by a few different Tigers,” Girouard said. “And the balls were flying out of the park.”
Mitchell batted in the team’s final run for the 5-2 win. Her two-out single in the top of the seventh inning scored sophomore center fielder Jazz Jackson from second base.
Sophomore pitcher Cody Trahan picked up the complete game in the second outing.
She allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out four batters. In the bottom of the seventh with runners on first and second, Trahan struck out the tying run and senior catcher Killian Roessner picked off the first base runner for the final out and the win.
The Tigers continue conference play this weekend at Tiger Park with a three-game series against Ole Miss. The first game starts Saturday at 1 p.m.
—-Contact David Helman at [email protected]