No. 22 LSU finished up first round play in the Easton Purple and Gold Challenge undefeated by defeating Alabama-Birmingham, 8-3, in the second game of their doubleheader Saturday.”It was a great day for us,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “[Freshman pitcher Brittany] Mack put on a show out there. [Junior pitcher/outfielder Kirsten] Shortridge put on a show with her bat. We’ve been working hard on things in the cage, and that showed today.”Shortridge helped out her cause in the game, going 2-for-4 with four RBI.Shortridge hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the Tigers up, 4-3. She later hit a three-run triple in the bottom of the fifth to put the Tigers up, 7-3.”I had to pick up my own baggage [because of my] performance in the circle,” Shortridge said. “We came out swinging, and everyone worked extremely hard today.”Shortridge (2-2) went four innings in the circle, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out four. The Tigers (9-4) went down early on a two run home run by UAB right fielder Amanda Allen in the first inning.LSU bounced back to score three runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead, but UAB scored a run in the fourth to tie the game.LSU sophomore Casey Faile and Mack combined to finish the game in the circle for the Tigers, giving up no runs.The Tigers face UAB (2-6) again tomorrow at 11:15 a.m.
GAME ONE
After an extra-inning victory against Northern Iowa on Friday night, the Tigers were able to play a few fewer innings in their first game Saturday against Texas State.LSU defeated Texas State in the first game of their double-header, 8-0, in five innings.
Mack got the win in the circle for the Tigers, going five innings and pitching a no-hitter while striking out eight batters.Freshman first baseman Anissa Young hit a three-run home run down the left-field line in the bottom of the fifth to end the game.Earlier in the game, the Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first on five hits. Junior right fielder Rachel Mitchell singled to score junior left fielder Jazz Jackson for the first run of the game. Mitchell later scored on a single by freshman catcher Morgan Russell to put the Tigers up, 4-0.The Tigers added on another run in the fourth when Jackson singled in Shortridge from second.
 
 
 
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Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]