Tied in the bottom of the seventh with two outs against Nicholls St., LSU freshman first baseman Sydney Springfield had her “best” at-bat of her young career.
Springfield laced an RBI single to lift the No. 16 LSU softball team to a 3-2 victory.
“We all tried to keep her calm,” LSU (24-7) coach Beth Torina said, “tell her to trust her eyes and just do what she always does.”
Senior outfielder Bailey Landry, who leads the nation in hits and extended her hitting streak to 18 games.
Landry had been looking forward to this game as soon as she saw it on the schedule, because she would be facing her cousin, Nicholls’ ace, Megan Landry.
Megan threw 59 total pitches until being replaced by Jackie Johnson in the bottom of the fifth.
“I had a smile on my face when I got up [to the plate] and then I got in the zone,” Landry said. “It’s really cool to see her up there because I know how hard she’s worked.”
The Tigers got out to an early lead in the second after senior second baseman Constance Quinn and sophomore shortstop Amber Serrett both advanced on a passed ball in the second, sophomore catcher Taylor Satchell hit an RBI single.
Freshman outfielder Aliyah Andrews notched the first RBI of her career, on a sac-fly that gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead however, the offense struggled for the rest of the game thanks to the Nicholls’ pitching staff.
“Both pitchers had really good spin,” Springfield said. “They’re a great pitching staff and great to compete with.”
Nicholls’ Taylor Hastings hit an RBI single in the fourth inning putting the Colonels on the board and their first hit of the game.
In the top of the fifth, Nicholls tied the game 2-2 on an RBI single from Haley Stevenson.
With no outs and runners on first and second, Torina called on her ace, junior pitcher Carley Hoover to come on in relief.
Smith had two strikeouts on 52 pitches and retired nine batters in a row.
To give the Tigers more insurance on defense, Torina moved senior catcher Sahvanna Jaquish behind the plate and put sophomore third baseman Shemiah Sanchez in the game to replace Jaquish.
Hoover got the Tigers out of the jam with a strike and flyout. Hoover threw 13 pitches before the strike after she fell behind 2-1.
“The main goal [in relief] is to change the pace, change the energy and throw strikes,” Hoover said.
It took until the bottom of the seventh for the Tigers so string together enough hits and eventually come out on top.
A sac bunt from junior outfielder Emily Griggs advanced Andrews to second base.
Jaquish was walked, putting runners on first and second for freshman first baseman Sydney Springfield.
Landry finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate.
“There’s going to be moments in every season that they’re going to be down and have to have the ability to come back and this team has showed they’re capable of doing that,” Torina said.
The Tigers return to action Friday night in the SEC home opener against Georgia.
