Blair Smith’s first career home run ensured a 6-3 victory and a split of a two-game Southeastern conference series for the LSU softball team against South Carolina on Sunday.
Eighth-ranked LSU and No. 15 South Carolina were forced to play a doubleheader Sunday after rain in the Columbia, S.C. area postponed the first two games of the series Saturday.
The series split places LSU (20-7, 3-2 SEC) in second place in the SEC western division. The Tigers trail Alabama by one and one-half games.
LSU head coach Yvette Girouard was disappointed with LSU’s loss in the first game. However, she was proud the Tigers for came back to tie the rain-shortened series in the second game.
“It was a disappointing loss for us in the first game,” Girouard said. “Give credit to Tessa Lynam for coming out and pitching a great game in the second to come away with the win. I was also happy with the way our bats came alive for us to salvage the series.”
Smith blasted a three-run homer to increase LSU’s lead to 6-0 in the third inning of Sunday’s second game. The Tiger shortstop went 1-for-2 in the game with three RBIs.
The Tigers also posted a three-spot on the scoreboard in the second inning. LSU catcher Leigh Ann Danos ripped a two-run double, scoring Alicia Owen and Julie Wiese. Smith scored on a RBI, infield single by right fielder Camille Harris to give LSU a 3-0 lead after two innings.
South Carolina (19-6, 3-2) came up short in its comeback attempt. A solo home run by designated player Tia Rogers in the fourth inning cut the LSU lead to 6-1.
Gamecock third baseman Danielle Quinones hit a two-run homer over the outstretched glove of LSU center fielder LaDonia Hughes in the sixth inning to cut LSU’s lead in half at 6-3. A ground out by Rogers ended the inning and the game one inning short because of prior travel arrangements by LSU.
Lynam (9-1) earned the win for LSU in the circle. The sophomore pitched all six innings, allowing five hits while striking out five Gamecock batters.
USC defeated LSU in the first game by a 3-2 score in 10 innings. The Gamecocks scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the tenth to overcome the 2-0 lead the Tigers took in the top half of the inning on Lynam’s RBI single.
Kim Evans was placed at second base to begin the inning as part of the international tie-breaker rule. A two-RBI single by USC’s Debralee Troesh scored Evans and Jodi Fittro to tie the game at 2-2. Troesh scored the winning run on a RBI single by Rogers.
Both starting pitchers completed the game. LSU pitcher Kristin Schmidt (11-6) allowed eight hits and struck out 10 batters in 9 2/3 innings in the loss. Stacey Johnson allowed six hits and struck out seven in the win for USC.