Consistent offense and a solid performance from sophomore pitcher Allie Walljasper forwarded the No. 8 LSU softball team to cruise to a 5-0 win against Southern Mississippi on Wednesday.
The Tigers (29-9, 5-7 Southeastern Conference) scored a run in every inning but the first and seventh innings pressured the Golden Eagles (18-21, 5-7 Conference USA) the most.
“I really liked how we swung the bats tonight,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “It’s been awhile since we stepped up to the plate with that kind of confidence. [The team] swung well and just hit things hard. I like seeing that from our kids. Even their outs seemed to be hit well.”
Walljasper stifled any chance of a comeback as she stayed ahead in pitching counts to shut down the Golden Eagles’ batting order.
She recorded four strikeouts, and forced 15 batters to ground or fly out.
The sophomore hurler allowed six hits in the complete game effort and held the Golden Eagles to a .240 batting average.
But her biggest moment came in a bases-loaded jam in the sixth.
With the tying run at the plate, she forced Golden Eagles sophomore pitcher Samantha Robles to fly out, ending the frame and Southern Miss’ attempted comeback.
“She keeps everyone calm,” said freshman shortstop Amber Serrett. “She is so quiet and we talk about silently hunting. That’s kind what I think of Allie. She’s out there and she gets her job done, but she’s so quiet about it.”
Serrett and junior first baseman Sahvanna Jaquish were the highlight for the LSU offense.
The duo each blasted balls over the outfield wall. Serrett’s longshot added a second Tigers’ run in the second inning and Jaquish hit her team-high 10th homer that added the fourth LSU score.
Southern Miss. had opportunities but couldn’t find a hit when it needed it to bring baserunners home. The visiting Golden Eagles left eight runners on the basepath on Wednesday night.
LSU associate head coach and former Southern Miss. captain Howard Dobson said he was happy with the result as his current squad beat his old ball club.
“Anytime you play some former foes, friends, or people you’ve coached with or against you definitely want to get that win,” Dobson said. “I wouldn’t say it’s any better than any other win, but it’s always nice [to get a win]. I’ll sleep a little better tonight.”
The Tigers’ victory gives them their third win in four games since being swept by then-No. 1 Florida on March 26.
Torina’s squad will look to keep the momentum this weekend in a rare Saturday, Sunday, Monday series against No. 16 Kentucky in Tiger Park. The Wildcats are the fifth-straight top-16 squad LSU will face in conference play.
“They’re coach does a great job with strategy,” Torina said. “They always bring a great pitching staff, and they have a great pitcher with Kelsey Nunley who’s given us trouble in the past … we definitely have our work cut out for us. I feel good about the spot our team is in.”