The LSU softball team earned close 1-0 victory against Mississippi State, but for coach Beth Torina, Saturday would have been considered a win regardless.
“It really wouldn’t have mattered what happened,” she said. “This day is a win.”
The Tigers hosted their fifth annual “Strike Out Ovarian Cancer” game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs and while donning specially designed teal uniforms. Since LSU began the annual “Strike Out Ovarian Cancer” game, the Tigers have not lost while wearing the jerseys.
In a pitching duel, freshman pitcher Sydney Smith shutout the SEC opponent.
LSU’s defense made a rare two errors in the contest, but still managed to outwork the Bulldogs.
“Even with the errors, they still bounced back,” Smith said. “The next play we got somebody out. They didn’t let anything affect them and not letting things snowball really helped us.”
MSU’s ace Holly Ward kept the Tigers offense from putting together any runs in contrast to Friday night’s 7-2 win.
However, the Tigers single run came in the bottom of the fifth after a pep talk from senior second baseman Constance Quinn.
“In the fifth inning, Constance Quinn reminded us to play for the color on our shirts and play for something bigger than ourselves and take our mind off of our technique,” senior catcher Sahvanna Jaquish said. “And then we got a run.”
Jaquish hit an RBI single following a walk from sophomore third baseman Shemiah Sanchez and a single from senior outfielder Bailey Landry.
In the top of the sixth, MSU had two runners on with two outs following an error from Quinn, but Smith swiftly got the Tigers out of the jam.
“That’s what I was striving for,” Smith said. “I was trying to put my drop ball in a good place and try to get her to ground out. Not try to do anything too special, not try to do anything out of my comfort zone, just try to trust my defense and know that they would get the out.”
Heading into the seventh, the Tigers held onto their slim 1-0 lead as Smith retired the final three batters she faced.
“She’s one of our younger pitchers, but she acted like a veteran out there,” Jaquish said.
The Tigers will face the Bulldogs in the series finale Sunday at 11 a.m.