LSU coach Yvette Girouard has patiently waited for a new softball stadium even since coming to LSU in 2001.She wouldn’t have minded waiting one more game.
No. 2-seeded Alabama knocked No. 3-seeded LSU out of the Southeastern Conference tournament Friday night, defeating the Tigers, 7-4, in front of 1,337 fans in Tiger Park.
The game ended up being the last one LSU will play in Tiger Park. The new stadium, located on Skip Bertman Drive, will be open for the start of the 2009 season.
“We would have loved to get into the championship,” Girouard said. “There’s no question Alabama was a better team than we were this year. They beat us four times. You’ve got to give them all the props.”
Alabama swept LSU in a three-game series in Tuscaloosa, Ala., in April. The Crimson Tide will take on top-seeded Florida in the tournament’s title game Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
“Anytime you beat LSU four times, we’ll take it,” said Alabama coach Patrick Murphy. “They’re a great team with great tradition. Things went our way tonight.”
Sophomore Cody Trahan (18-5) took the loss in the circle for LSU. She pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up three walks and three hits while walking three.
With one out and runners on second and third in the third inning, senior second baseman Shannon Stein drove in sophomore left fielder Jazz Jackson for the game’s first run with a single just over the glove of Alabama second baseman Whitney Larsen.
Senior Quinlan Duhon struck out with two runners on base to end the inning.
Trahan looked like she would secure LSU’s advantage, retiring the first two batters of the bottom half of the inning. But after senior Jordan Praytor singled to center, pitcher Charlotte Morgan drilled her 16th home run of the season over the center field wall to make the score 2-1 in favor of the Crimson Tide.
The next at-bat, Girouard visited the circle to speak with Trahan with the count 2-2 on Alabama third baseman Kelley Montalvo. Trahan proceeded to walk Montalvo, and then issued a four-pitch walk to senior first baseman Dani Woods.
Senior Tiffany Garcia replaced Trahan, and Montalvo and Woods moved to third and second, respectively, after Garcia was called for an illegal pitch – the first of her career — to junior Kellie Eubanks. Garcia walked Eubanks but forced junior Lauren Parker into a groundout to end the inning.
Garcia was called for another illegal pitch in the fourth inning. A few pitches later, freshman Whitney Larsen hit her eighth home run of the season over the left field wall, giving Alabama a 3-1 advantage.
Later in the inning, LSU intentionally walked Morgan with a runner on first base to get to Montalvo, who entered the game batting .407.
Montalvo hit a routine fly ball to center field, which Rachel Mitchell dropped, allowing Praytor to touch home and give the Crimson Tide a 4-1 lead.
“She just lost it,” Girouard said of Mitchell’s error.
LSU threatened again in the bottom of the sixth inning when senior right fielder Quinlan Duhon hit a solo shot to cut Alabama’s lead to 4-2.
After senior Killian Roessner struck out, senior shortstop Tayl’r Hollis singled to right field, and first baseman Erika Sluss drove her home with a single to left field, making the score 4-3.
Alabama got one of the runs back in the top of the seventh when Praytor hit an RBI-double. Garcia then walked two consecutive batters – one intentionally – to load the bases with no outs.
Freshman Casey Faile then replaced Garcia in the circle and gave up an RBI-single to Woods, increasing the Crimson Tide’s lead to 6-3. A high pitch got away from Roessner, and Montalvo gave Alabama a four-run lead.
LSU threatened for the final time in the bottom of the seventh when Stein doubled and Mitchell hit an RBI-single to cut the lead to 7-4.
Duhon got on base with a single, but Roessner fouled out and Hollis struck out to end the game.
The Tigers will now wait and see when and where they will continue their postseason when the NCAA softball selection show airs Sunday night at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
Girouard said she is still unsure whether junior pitcher Dani Hofer will be available for the postseason. Hofer has not pitched since game one of the Tennessee series April 19.
“Who knows,” Girouard said.
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