The No. 16 LSU softball team beat Syracuse on Sunday to win the Purple and Gold Challenge championship, 9-2.
The Tigers (18-4) won five games during the tournament and extended their winning streak to 13.
LSU broke a scoreless tie in the second inning against Syracuse when sophomore catcher Morgan Russell hit a sacrifice fly ball to score sophomore left fielder Ashley Langoni.
The Tigers scored another run in the inning on a single by senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge.
Syracuse (6-9) managed to score two runs on LSU sophomore pitcher Brittany Mack in the top of the third inning, tying the game after the Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Senior pitcher Cody Trahan entered the game to relieve Mack with two outs and bases loaded.
Trahan (5-0) escaped the inning without further damage and earned the win after pitching 4 1/3 innings, giving up no hits, no runs and no walks.
She also struck out two batters.
“It was good to see her come in, and she slammed the door on Syracuse,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard.
Syracuse freshman pitcher Stacy Kuwik earned the loss after pitching 2.2 innings, walking two batters and giving up seven hits and seven earned runs.
LSU’s bats came alive in the bottom of the third inning.
The Tigers had four of their 10 hits and scored six of the team’s nine runs in the inning, making the score 8-2 after three innings.
Junior third baseman Jessica Mouse highlighted the inning with a two-RBI home run off the left-field foul pole.
“When we’re hitting like we are right now, as pitchers we just go out there and throw,” Trahan said. “If we make a mistake, our team is behind us, and they’re going to pick us up.”
LSU opened the tournament against Syracuse on Friday and cruised past the Orange, 9-1, in six innings.
Senior center fielder Kirsten Shortridge, sophomore left fielder Ashley Langoni and senior right fielder Rachel Mitchell racked up two RBIs each. Eight of the nine Tiger starters had hits, contributing to LSU’s 11 hits in the game.
Mack (4-2) earned the victory after pitching the full six innings, giving up four hits and one run, walking five and striking out seven.
LSU earned shutouts in games two and three against South Alabama (9-9) and Campbell (2-12-1), 11-0 and 8-0, respectively.
It took the Tigers only five innings to earn both victories.
Freshman pitcher Rachele Fico (7-2) earned the victory in the circle against the Jaguars. She pitched all five innings, struck out four batters and gave up two hits, no runs and no walks.
Trahan earned the victory against the Fighting Camels. She pitched five innings, gave up five hits, struck out five batters and allowed no runs and no walks.
Mitchell led the Tigers offensively in both games. She combined for three hits on five at bats with one home run and five RBIs.
Mitchell’s five hits and seven RBIs during the weekend earned her Most Valuable Player honors for the tournament.
“It was good that we could come out, get our hacks in and do what we do best,” Mitchell said.
LSU earned a come-from-behind victory in game four against Campbell, 2-1, on Saturday evening.
After the Tigers and the Fighting Camels exchanged runs in the fifth innings, sophomore second baseman Courtney Hollier broke the 1-1 tie with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Tigers the 2-1 victory.
The win was Fico’s second victory of the tournament. She pitched eight innings, struck out six batters and gave up five hits, one run and one walk.
LSU has won three straight tournaments at home and will begin Southeastern Conference play this weekend in Columbia, South Carolina, against South Carolina after a Wednesday game against in-state rival Nicholls State.
Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]