No. 11 LSU squeaked out two wins against No. 18 Alabama to take 2-of-3 in a pivotal series in Tiger Park this weekend.
The Tigers (27-11, 8-6 Southeastern Conference) edged Alabama, 2-1, in the rubber match. LSU led off the game with a big first inning, loading the bases with no one out, but only could score one run.
Catcher Leigh Ann Danos nearly broke the game open with a Grand Slam, but her line drive to left field was ruled foul.
“When things aren’t quite going your way, like the Leigh Ann near Grand Slam early in the game, we just have to keep battling,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard.
The Tide (26-13, 9-3 SEC) evened the score in the top of the fourth when first baseman Jackie McClain’s RBI double allowed Ashley Courtney to score.
LSU struck back in the bottom half of the inning, pounding out a run on back-to-back doubles from Julie Wiese and Blair Smith.
“We needed it,” Smith said of her double. “I owed it to my team because I haven’t been hitting well lately. I just knew I had to come through.”
Kristin Schmidt (16-9) scattered six hits, struck out five and gave up one run to pace LSU in Sunday’s pitcher’s duel. Schmidt got the win in game one, throwing a complete game and giving up three runs.
Jennifer Wright (7-4) took the game three loss for Alabama, pitching three innings and striking out four batters.
LSU had a chance to extend the lead in the fifth inning, but Tessa Lynam was thrown out at second while trying to advance after a single.
“Sometimes we have out-of-body experiences as players and we don’t play within our own capabilities, and we hurt ourselves in some situations,” Girouard said.
The Tide staged a rally in the final two innings, nearly tying the game in the sixth, but left fielder Megann Steege gunned Courtney out at the plate to get out of inning unscathed. Alabama then got a runner at second with two outs in the seventh, but Schmidt struck out Leah White swinging to end the game.
After holding off Alabama in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Tigers dropped the second contest 7-2.
Girouard stressed after the second game that the team was struggling at the plate at times, not getting timely hits.
“We’re at the point right now we’re we have to score runs to win,” Girouard said. “We have a defensive lineup and an offensive lineup and at this point, it pretty much has to be the offensive lineup.”
Lynam (11-2) threw a complete game in the losing effort.
Girouard earned her 900th career win with the 4-3 victory in game one.
“You have to coach a long time to get that many victories,” Girouard said. “It’s a corny thing but its so true; you don’t do it without great players, without great assistants, and good parents. It wasn’t about me.”
Danos led the Tigers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and one run scored.
“I was seeing the ball really well,” Danos said. “I was being aggressive and putting the bat on the ball.”
LSU moved into second place in the SEC West with the series win. The Tigers are still two games behind Alabama for the division lead.