LSU softball historically has struggled in the Southeastern Conference tournament. Entering the 2016 edition of the event, the team failed to win its first contest in four of the previous five seasons.

History did not repeat itself against No. 16 Texas A&M on Wednesday in Starkville, Mississippi.

The No. 12 Tigers (42-14, 13-11 SEC) defeated the Aggies (37-17, 9-15 SEC) 5-4 to win their first game of the tournament for only the second time in six years, and win their 13th game in 14 contests.

Freshman hurler Sydney Smith started the game for LSU, but was chased in favor of sophomore gunslinger Carley Hoover after only 2.2 innings. Smith allowed six hits and three runs. Her three earned runs came on a home run from Texas A&M sophomore catcher Ashley Walters.

The Aggies took the lead on Walters’ longshot, after the Tigers plated the first two runs of the contest. Walters and company padded their lead after tacking on a run in the fifth, upping the scoreline to 4-2.  

Hoover came in and stopped the bleeding for LSU, but the damage had already been done. The sophomore allowed just one run on three hits, while notching three strikeouts.

But the Tigers’ offense could not produce another run until the seventh.

With the bases loaded, a passed ball scored the tying run to equalize the contest. Senior infielder Kellsi Kloss blasted a 2-1 pitch off the third baseman, which rolled around the infield long enough for senior left fielder Sandra Simmons to run the sixty feet from third to home plate.

The win was the fifth game the team has won in the final inning. LSU advances to face No. 11 Kentucky, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, on Thursday.
The Wildcats swept the Tigers in a three game set April 9-11. LSU failed to score a run in the series, but held the visitors to only six runs throughout the contests.