The seventh-ranked LSU softball team defeated Tennessee 6-1 at Tiger Park Sunday to clinch its first Southeastern Conference series, two games to one.
LSU split a doubleheader with Tennessee Saturday, winning game one 4-0 and losing game two by a 3-2 margin. Tigers head coach Yvette Girouard said LSU lost the second game of the doubleheader because the team failed to get timely hits in crucial situations.
Girouard wanted the team to come out with “fire in our eyes” and win the series on Sunday. Her wish was granted as the Tigers dominated Tennessee in a five-run victory.
LSU (18-6, 2-1 SEC) trailed Tennessee 1-0 until the third inning, when the Tigers took control of the game by scoring four runs on three hits and an error. Megann Steege scored on an error by the Volunteers’ shortstop Ellisha Humphrey to tie the game 1-1. Tessa Lynam and Alicia Owen hit back-to-back RBI singles later in the inning as Sara Fitzgerald and Christy Connor both scored to put the Tigers up 4-1.
The Tigers struck for one run in the fourth inning, when Tiger left fielder Sara Fitzgerald ripped an RBI double to score Hughes. LSU tacked on its final run in the sixth as Fitzgerald scored on a RBI single by Tessa Lynam, who went 4-for-11 with 5 RBIs in the series.
Tennessee (17-8, 1-2) scored its only run of the game as designated player Amber Rhinehart scored on UT pitcher Stacey Jennings’ RBI single in the second inning.
The inning ended with much controversy. LSU appeared to end the inning with a double play as Tennessee’s Christy Anch was called out on the infield-fly rule and Owen tagged out a Volunteer runner at second base. Tennessee took the field when the umpires decided Owen touched the base instead of the base runner. The infield fly rule took the force out away and made a tag necessary. Tennessee got another chance at the plate with runners on second and third, but Tiger pitcher Kristin Schmidt got Ellisha Humphrey to ground out to end the inning.
“We didn’t make a tag,” Girouard said. “We thought we made a tag at second, but [the umpires] said we didn’t.”
Schmidt (10-5) earned the win for LSU in the circle as she retired 18 of Tennessee’s last 21 batters to end the game. The junior pitched seven innings and allowed four hits while striking out six batters.
LaDonia Hughes led the Tigers offensively as she went 3-for-4 from the plate, scoring two runs. The junior stayed positive after going 0-for-8 in the two previous games.
“I just tried to stay positive,” Hughes said. “I just came out here and gave my all today.”
Girouard liked Hughes performance and said her success from the plate is vital for LSU’s success offensively.
“[Hughes] is such an important weapon in our offense because we feel like if she gets on, we should always score,” Girouard said.
Girouard was pleased in LSU’s persistence as a team after being down 1-0 early.
“We looked a little shaky in the first couple of innings, and things weren’t going our way. We regrouped and got ourselves together,” Girouard said. “I’m pleased with the way the series ended.”