After rain forced the LSU women’s softball team to cancel its first two games of the season last Friday, LSU bounced back on Saturday to split two games at the UNLV Desert Classic in Las Vegas, NV.
No. 5 LSU (1-1) dropped its first game to Illinois 5-3 before defeating Louisville in the second game 7-1.
Coach Yvette Girouard said it was good to see her team bounce back after an early loss.
“I am really proud of the way the team responded after a lackluster performance in the first game,” Girouard said. “The team never quit in the first game. It wasn’t pretty, but we didn’t take advantage of the opportunities we were given.
Illinois took an early lead in the first game after freshman Shana Diller knocked in a run with her second-inning double.
LSU bounced back in the bottom of the third after a single by sophomore Kristen Hobbs scored freshman Dee Dee Henderson from third base
After a fielding error by senior Lauren Castle in right field put Illinois’ Jackelyn Diekemper on first, Laura Zobrist came in to run for Diekemper and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. After a double by Julie Balicki and a single by Angelela Mexicano, the Illini went up 3-1.
In the fifth inning, starting pitcher Megan Jolly was replaced by sophomore Emily Turner after Jolly gave up a one-out single. Turner failed to close out the inning, giving up a two-run shot to Diller to give the Illini a 5-1 lead.
Yet LSU failed to come back again, scoring only two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to a two-run home run by junior Lauren Delahoussaye.
Despite the loss, Girouard said several players stepped up and proved strong in the first game.
“I thought we had some really outstanding individual performances today,” Girouard said. “Several of our freshmen really went out and attacked at the plate and it showed in their performances. We hit the ball solidly the entire day.”
Freshman Quinlan Duhon finished the game 2-for-3 in her LSU debut.
In the second game freshman Vanessa Soto led the way, going 3-for-5 as the Tigers knocked off Louisville 7-1 to cap off the tournament.
After jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, Soto earned her first collegiate hit in the top of the first inning when she blasted a double to left center to score junior Camille Harris.
A Delahoussaye double later scored Soto to give LSU a 3-0 lead.
Louisville scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the second after back-to-back triples by Courtney Moore and Michelle Vasquez.
LSU got back on the board in the fifth inning after Soto blasted her first home run for LSU to give LSU a 4-1 lead.
A double by Duhon later in the inning with runners on first and third scored one more run, while Castle beat out an infield single with two outs to score Harris and give LSU a 6-1 lead.
LSU capped off the game in the sixth inning when Soto led off the inning with a double and later scored on a throwing error by Audrey Rendon.
Jolly earned the win in her second collegiate start, going five innings and allowing just one run on four hits with two strikeouts.
Girouard said she was pleased with the way LSU bounced back in the second game.
“We challenged this team after the loss,” Girouard said. “It’s how you respond when you fail that makes the difference. I thought our
defense was unbelievable today. I am very proud of the way we played.”