LSU fans might have hoped for a bit more offense to open this weekend’s Easton Tiger Classic softball tournament.LSU (4-3) opened the weekend’s events with a 2-0 loss to Ohio State (5-1) in an 8-inning pitching duel that featured just five combined hits.”There felt like there were no adjustments on our part at the plate until it was too late,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “I’ll have to take a look at the video to get a further explanation, but [Ohio State pitcher Kim] Reeder did a good job controlling us tonight. You can’t win games with only two hits, plain and simple. We let this one game get away from us. Credit Ohio State because they made something happen, and we did not.”Junior pitcher Cody Trahan started her second-straight game for the Tigers, holding Ohio State to two hits and no runs with seven strikeouts. Girouard said Trahan was limited to five innings because “we need her to be ready for [Southeastern Conference] play.”Junior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge was once again the spark for LSU. After her two-run performance Wednesday against McNeese State, Shortridge provided the Tigers’ only hits of the games.
The rest of the lineup went 0-for-21 at the plate.Shortridge later entered the game for Trahan at pitcher, her secondary position, but could not hold off the Buckeyes. Ohio State notched two hits with loaded bases in the top of the eighth inning, providing the game’s only runs.The Tigers also loaded the bases in the game’s final frame but could not capitalize.LSU’s next opponent, No. 5 Texas A&M, opened the tournament with an 8-3 win against Sam Houston State. The Tigers and Aggies play Saturday at 2 p.m.”The competition gets better tomorrow, and this young team will have to learn there are only so many opportunities during a game,” Girouard said. “There are times when the game is decided by which team gets the break or which team makes the mistake.”
 
 
 
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Contact David Helman at [email protected]