Defense and pitching helped lead No. 12 LSU to a sweep against Georgia on Sunday, with the Tigers winning 1-0.
“I think it’s important if you’re trying to be at the top of this league or play for an SEC championship,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “You have to pick up every game you get an opportunity to pick up. It’s not OK to just win two out of three, if you want to win this league.”
Sophomore pitcher Sydney Smith held the Bulldogs, who have one of the top offenses in the country, to just two hits. Even though there were no strikeouts on the game, both team’s defenses held it down.
“I think that’s a big key,” Smith said. “Just allowing the defense to work and knowing that I have such a great defense behind me. Just letting it all play out and just throwing quality pitches and letting my defense take control.”
Georgia had only one runner in scoring position all game. That runner was stranded at third after a running foul catch by senior right fielder Bailey Landry.
The Tigers (27-7, 4-2 Southeastern Conference) took an early lead, despite having no hits until the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring one run off a walk and an error in the first.
Landry was the first base runner of the game as she drew a walk. A fielding error off a hit by freshman first baseman Sydney Springfield scored Landry.
Freshman Nicky Dawson pinch hit for freshman Amanda Doyle in the bottom of the sixth and lined a pitch up the middle for the Tigers’ second hit of the game.
“I feel like there’s always stuff we can improve on,” Smith said. “I felt like it was an overall good team weekend, a good overall team win. I think that’s what’s going to be able push us forward if we work together as a team.”
The Tigers return to action on Tuesday against UL-Monroe.