The No. 18 LSU softball team split the first two games of its series against Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., on Friday.The Tigers (24-10-1, 9-6-1) dropped game one of the doubleheader, 8-7, after freshman relief pitcher Brittany Mack allowed the Razorbacks to score two runs in the bottom of the last inning.”Not very good pitching,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “Maybe the cold had a lot to do with all the hits tonight on both sides. It was pretty miserable to play in.”The teams combined for 22 hits in the game – 12 by LSU and 10 by Arkansas.LSU took the early lead in game two, scoring eight runs through three innings, including a two-run home run by sophomore third baseman Jessica Mouse. But Arkansas (24-16, 10-7) fired back in the bottom of the third with four runs, making the score 8-4. The bottom half of the inning was highlighted by a two-RBI double by Arkansas junior designated hitter Miranda Dixon.LSU sophomore pitcher Casey Faile replaced starting junior pitcher Kirsten Shortridge in the third and forced Arkansas freshman shortstop Brittany Griffiths to pop up to her counterpart, freshman short stop Juliana Santos.Faile pitched 4 1/3 innings and allowed no runs on three hits and struck out seven batters.”Casey did a great job coming in in the second game and giving us some very good innings,” Girouard said. “We’ve got to figure out how to use her more. She certainly earned a lot of respect tonight.”The Tigers bit again with single runs in the fifth and the sixth innings to end the game, 10-4.LSU faces Arkansas in the final game of the series tomorrow at noon. The winner of tomorrow’s game takes sole possession of second place in the Southeastern Conference Western Division behind Alabama.
 
—-Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]