The No. 8 LSU softball team opened its Women’s College World Series campaign with a 6-1 win against No. 4 Auburn on Thursday afternoon. 
LSU (51-12) used timely hitting and a solid performance from freshman pitcher Carley Hoover (18-5) to send Auburn (54-10) to an elimination game.
“What was really cool about today was that I personally didn’t feel like I had 100 percent,” Hoover said. “Our defense was strong. We made amazing plays, and our offense rallied.”
LSU grabbed the lead in the top of the first inning.
Auburn junior pitcher Marcy Harper (12-5) retired senior center fielder A.J. Andrews and sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry to start the game. But LSU junior shortstop Bianka Bell took Harper’s 2-1 offering deep over the left field wall to give LSU an early 1-0 lead before Harper could get out of the inning.
“With two outs, I was trying to get on base, find my way on, do it with two outs and just hope somebody could score me in,” Bell said. “I guess I just got all of the ball, and it went out. That was really cool, exciting.”
Hoover sat Auburn down in order in the bottom of the first. Harper and Hoover each allowed a hit in the second inning, but neither team could capitalize.
In the top of the third inning, LSU’s offense exploded for four runs, all scored with two-outs.
Freshman left fielder Emily Griggs singled to lead off the inning. But Auburn sophomore third baseman Kasey Cooper sprinted in to catch Andrews’ attempted bunt just before it hit the ground and flipped to first to double off Griggs.
With two-outs Landry singled to put a runner on base for Bell. Harper pitched around Bell, and sophomore third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish made her pay. Jaquish ripped a double to right field to stretch LSU’s lead to 3-0. Junior catcher Kellsi Kloss homered off the left field foul pole in the next at-bat, giving LSU a 5-0 lead.
Kloss’ home run spelled the end to Harper’s outing, and Auburn turned to junior pitcher Rachael Walters in the circle. 
Auburn threatened to chip away at LSU’s lead in the bottom of the third with consecutive one-out singles, but Hoover slammed the door shut to keep Auburn off the scoreboard.
Griggs and Andrews each singled in the top of the fourth but LSU couldn’t drive them in.
Senior right fielder Branndi Melero led off the bottom of the fourth inning with what appeared to be a certain base hit to center field, but Andrews had other ideas. She sprinted across the outfield to make a shoestring catch for the first out.
“It’s almost like we don’t even have to watch her make the catch because we already know as soon as it’s out there, she’s going to make it,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “She’s such a spectacular defensive player. She dives as well as any player I’ve ever seen. It looked like she almost broke her wrist on the play, it got caught. And I thought she would’ve broken her wrist to catch that ball because that’s who she is. She’s our leader. She’ll do anything it takes to catch any ball that we need her to. She’ll run through a wall. She’ll do whatever it takes. She’s our senior and our leader out there right now, and she wants this as much as anybody, for sure. ”
Hoover retired the next two batters to preserve LSU’s 5-0 lead after four innings.
The Tigers couldn’t add to their lead in the top of the fifth, but Auburn managed to chip away at them in the bottom of the frame. A leadoff double was followed by a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly to cut LSU’s lead to 5-1.
LSU immediately re-established a five-run lead in the top of the sixth, taking advantage of two singles and an Auburn error on what appeared to be a routine fielder’s choice. 
Auburn stranded a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Walters retired LSU in order in the top of the seventh inning.
Auburn attempted to rally during the bottom of the seventh inning, but a double play turned by Jaquish and a strikeout ended the game.
Hoover finished with five strikeouts and didn’t allow a walk. She allowed just one run in seven innings of work.
“The bigger the game, the better she pitches,” Torina said. “From what we know about her this year, she wants the ball in these situations, and she truly thrives in them. It’s a lot fun having somebody like her on our team and having somebody that can perform under pressure. That’s the whole key to this, being able to get it done when the lights are on.”
LSU will have to quickly shift its focus to Florida, with the two teams scheduled to play at 6 p.m. Friday.