Without three of their four top hitters, the No. 5 LSU softball team still managed to defeat University of Louisiana-Monroe by mercy-rule, 8-0, in five innings.
The in-state rivals were locked in a pitcher’s duel through the first four frames as freshman Sydney Smith (3-0) and ULM junior Melanie Coyne (7-4) battled back-and-forth in the circle.
The Maple Grove, Minnesota native went the distance for the third time this season, pitching a two-hit shutout while notching four strikeouts.
“I felt like I trusted myself more,” Smith said.”Knowing my teammates are back there just helped me get through the game.”
Even without senior shortstop Bianka Bell and junior third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish, the Tigers chased Coyne out of the game with a six-run explosion in the fourth spurred by a pair of seniors.
Senior designated player Alayna Falcon brought home the first two runs for LSU, hitting a one-out RBI double to left field.
“I felt a little bit pressured,” said Falcon. “I thrive in those pressure situations. I took advantage of the pitch that she threw me.”
Senior third baseman Jenna Kreamer kept the Tiger offense rolling when she hit a RBI-single to left field. LSU plated another run on a Warhawks fielding error to take a 4-0 advantage.
With two outs down and a runner on, sophomore second baseman Sydney Bourg stepped up to the dish and hit a two-RBI triple to center field, extending the Tigers’ lead to 6-0.
With Southern Conference play looming, LSU coach Beth Torina wanted to play with her lineup a little bit.
“I thought the [players] that we asked to play today really stepped,” Torina said. “It was so good to see them succeed. It’s nice to get everybody some work as we’re going to only a week and half away from SEC play.”
In the top of the fifth, Smith made quick work of the Warhawks to put the LSU’s lineup in position to clinch an early victory.
After the Tigers went up 7-0 behind freshman outfielder Amber Serrett’s RBI-double, Kreamer stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and the opportunity to end the game early.
The Shreveport, Louisiana native smashed a RBI-single to center field to bring home the game-winning run to cap a 2-for-3 night at the plate with two RBIs.
“I feel like I just hit for my team,” Kreamer said. “We set goals and we just want to get it in five and we were able to make that happen tonight.”