The No. 2 LSU softball team overcame a slow start to defeat UL-Monroe, 7-3, on Tuesday evening at Tiger Park.
The Warhawks (24-9) jumped on the Tigers (33-3, 6-3 Southeastern Conference) early, taking the lead in the first inning.
“They’re a good team,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “They have a high RPI. They have a great record. They’ve beat some people, some SEC teams. They’re a good team, there’s no question.”
ULM hit three doubles in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Torina responded by pulling sophomore pitcher Kelsee Selman and turning to freshman Carley Hoover in the circle to keep the Tigers in the game until the offense came alive.
LSU managed to get three baserunners in the bottom of the first but couldn’t capitalize. The Tigers struck on their next chance, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the second to tie the game, 2-2.
Sophomore second baseman Constance Quinn doubled down the left field line and stole third when senior center fielder A.J. Andrews drew a walk. Quinn said LSU was confident it would get the offense going.
“I believed in myself, believed in the team to cheer me on and knew I was going to get that hit,” Quinn said.
Andrews followed with a stolen base of her own to give sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry a chance to drive in the tying run with two outs. Landry obliged, singling up the middle to tie the game.
Then LSU seized control of the game with a four-run third inning.
Sophomore third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish hit a solo home run to center field, her 14th of the season, to give LSU its first lead of the game. Jaquish said she believed when the Tigers claimed the lead, they wouldn’t relinquish it with Hoover shutting the Warhawks’ lineup down.
A single from junior catcher Kellsi Kloss and a fielding error gave LSU two baserunners. After a sacrifice bunt and a fielder’s choice, an RBI single from freshman left fielder Emily Griggs extended LSU’s lead to 4-2. Another two-RBI single from Landry stretched the Tigers’ lead to 6-2.
A sacrifice fly from Jaquish in the bottom of the sixth allowed Andrews to touch home, capping LSU’s scoring at seven runs.
Hoover quelled ULM’s comeback bid in the top of the seventh. ULM cut LSU’s lead to 7-3 and had the bases loaded with one out, but Hoover closed the door with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
“They were kind of getting the bat on the ball a little bit,” Hoover said. “Kellsi Kloss was really working the outside corner for me and really working spots for me, so that helped.”
Hoover kept the Warhawks’ attack in-check for most of the night, scattering six hits across 6 1/3 innings pitched. She finished with 11 strikeouts, allowing just one run on 97 pitches.
LSU now shifts its focus to Ole Miss. The Tigers host the Rebels at Tiger Park in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m.
You can reach Jack Woods on Twitter @Jack_TDR.
No. 2 LSU softball team puts away persistent ULM, 7-3
By Jack Woods
March 31, 2015
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