The No. 13 LSU softball team defeated Florida Atlantic University and Troy both in six innings.
In the final game of the LSU Invitational, Troy put the Tigers in a small hole early scoring one run in the first, but LSU (18-4) answered in the bottom of the first and tied the game 1-1 with an RBI double from freshman first baseman Amanda Doyle.
Freshman first baseman Sydney Springfield hit a two-run home run, her second of the day, to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead after one.
“She’s such a talented hitter and so strong,” coach Beth Torina said. “That’s the first of many that are going to come off that kid’s bat here in Tiger Park.”
With no outs and the bases loaded in the second, an RBI single from junior outfielder Emily Griggs put the Tigers ahead by three runs.
The Trojans changed pitchers in the second after LSU scored four runs on four hits.
After the pitching change, freshman outfielder Aliyah Andrews scored an unearned run after senior outfielder Bailey Landry was walked.
Senior third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish hit a sacrifice RBI which put the Tigers up 6-1.
The Tigers pulled away and scored two more runs on a sac-fly from Springfield and Landry on a wild pitch.
The Trojans switched back to their previous pitcher after the Tigers scored four more runs in the second and LSU went scoreless for three straight innings.
To end the game in six innings, Springfield hit her second home run on the game and third of the day putting the Tigers ahead 11-1 to end the game.
“Honestly I don’t try to hit home runs,” Springfield said. “I was just trying to hit a ball in the gap and try to make something happen.”
The Tigers worked their way to a 9-1 rule-run win against FAU earlier on Sunday.
Freshman pitcher Sydney Smith started in the circle for the Tigers and held the Owls to one run on three hits.
The Tigers struck quickly with a two-run home run from Jaquish to put LSU ahead 2-0 in the first.
“My home run gave the team confidence and that’s what I was really happy about,” Jaquish said. “Once I swung big, the whole lineup started swinging big”
Smith retired the final 10 batters she faced and had five strikeouts.
In the second, senior second baseman Constance Quinn reached second base on a throwing error allowing sophomore third baseman Shemiah Sanchez to score putting the Tigers up 3-0.
FAU’s Emily Lochten scored in the third cutting LSU’s lead 3-1, but the Tigers pulled away again in the fourth.
Springfield crushed her second home run of the season over the wall in left field putting LSU ahead by three. An RBI single from Griggs moved the Tigers to a comfortable 5-1 lead.
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Tigers offense came back in the sixth to put the game away.
Landry notched her 17th RBI of the season adding another run to the Tigers lead.
Sophomore Taylor Satchell nailed a two-RBI single to left center putting LSU ahead by seven. Sanchez topped off the win with a two-RBI double to end the game in six innings.
Landry went 3-for-4 and Jaquish went 2-for-3 at the plate in the Tigers rule-run win against FAU.
“This tournament was really great for us,” Jaquish said. “We learned a lot about ourselves and it’s going to help us rolling into the SEC.”
