A weekend full of upsets for the LSU softball team concluded with a first-place finish at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
The No. 12 Tigers (18-3) upset three of the Top 10 teams in the nation — No. 3 California, No. 4 Washington and No. 6 Georgia — en route to the tournament win.
In Sunday’s championship game, the Tigers got a strong pitching performance from senior Kristin Schmidt (10-2) to defeat No. 11 Florida State, 4-3. Schmidt pitched a complete game, allowing only one earned run on 10 hits while striking out 10 Seminoles.
“This was a great day for the Tigers that concluded a great tournament for LSU,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “I loved the way this team fought back from adversity in both games today and showed their resilience. We got the timely hits when we needed them and both Kristin [Schmidt] and Emily [Turner] pitched well.”
FSU led 1-0 in the third, before an RBI single from Lauren Castle scored Camille Harris to tie the game. One batter later, Leslie Klein knocked a single to left to score Castle from second and give LSU the lead, 2-1.
In the fourth, third baseman Julie Wiese gave the Tigers a little breathing room with a solo home run to left. The home run gave Wiese the school career home run record with 28.
“I think for Julie to reach this record speaks for her outstanding achievements as a player for four years,” Girouard said. “She has been a steady performer throughout her career and this is a wonderful accomplishment.”
Castle came through again for the Tigers in the fifth with an RBI double to extend the Tigers’ lead to 4-2.
Schmidt allowed only one more run in the next three innings to escape with a 4-3 victory.
LSU earned a trip to the championship game with an upset win against Southeastern Conference foe No. 6 Georgia Sunday morning.
The Tigers trailed 1-0 in the fifth, but a Lauren Delahoussaye home run to left field tied the score at 1.
Delahoussaye again came to the rescue in the top of the seventh as the Tigers trailed 2-1. Her lead-off double, followed by a Wiese fielders choice and a Kristen Hobbs sacrifice fly knotted the game up at 2, sending it into extra innings.
The Tigers took full advantage of the extra frame, scoring three runs, two of which came on a Klein double to left field, to edge out a 5-2 victory.
In Saturday’s action, the Tigers upset No. 3 California, 6-1 and No. 4 Washington, 4-2, in back-to-back games.
Schmidt, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, pitched all 14 innings for the Tigers on Saturday, allowing only three runs on six hits with 10 strikeouts. In the Washington game, Schmidt took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up a two-run home run.
Sophomore first baseman Stephanie Hill led the Tigers with a 4-for-8 day, including two RBIs and a home run in the California game. Lauren Castle provided the spark for the Tigers against Washington. In the seventh inning, her base hit to right field scored two and propelled the Tigers to a 4-2 victory.
LSU started the weekend tournament off with a bang, drumming Ohio State 5-0 in game one and then squeaking by Florida Atlantic 4-2 in the night cap.
Emily Turner (7-1) pitched a one-hit shutout against OSU, striking out one and allowing one walk.
In game two, three home runs provided all four runs for the Tigers. Hill and Castle both hit solo round-trippers, but Wiese’s sixth inning home run broke a 2-2 tie and preserved the LSU victory.
For the tournament, LSU hit eight home runs with Delahoussaye leading all Tigers with three.