Following an early exit from the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the LSU softball team silenced critics by dominating Texas Southern, 15-0 in five innings in its first game of the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday night. 
The Tigers’ (45-11) explosive lineup broke the program record for the most runs scored in an NCAA tournament game while sophomore Kelsee Selman (9-0) made a statement in the circle.
“It was nice to see them jump out early and continue to make adjustments with different pitchers throughout the game,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “That will be the key in this whole thing. We have to continue making adjustments with whatever is thrown at us, and they did a great job of it.”
After Selman recorded three strikeouts swinging in the top of the first, LSU put on a show at the plate in the bottom of the first, featuring back-to-back home runs by sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry and junior shortstop Bianka Bell.
Senior center fielder A.J. Andrews began the rally by drawing a four-pitch leadoff walk, her 43rd of the season that ties the program single-season mark set by Ashley Langoni in 2012.
Landry drove in Andrews with her first homer of the season down the right field line, putting LSU on the board with a 2-0 lead.
On the fifth pitch of the next at-bat, Bell smashed her 17th home run over the wall in dead center, tying the single-season homer mark set by sophomore third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish in 2014 and in 2015.
“It was awesome, ” Bell said. “I’ve never done that with Bailey before.”
After Jaquish and junior catcher Kellsi Kloss drew walks, senior pitcher Brianna Bryant (3-6) replaced senior starter Sammantha Jimenez (7-5).
Junior first baseman Sandra Simmons loaded the bases for with a bunt single. After sophomore designated player Constance Quinn struck out swinging, Bryant hit freshman second baseman Sydney Bourg to drive in a run for LSU.
Freshman left fielder Emily Griggs drove in two more runs with a double to left center. Then, Andrews extended the Tigers’ lead to 7-0.
After Landry drew the fourth walk of the inning and Bryant plunked Bell to drive in another run, Jaquish drove in her 68th RBI of the season with a fielder’s choice.
Kloss capped off the monster inning with an RBI single to left, spurring the Tigers’ to a 10-0 lead after the first for the third time in 2015.
“Our offense definitely exploded in the first inning by getting those runs and by pounding away,” Bell said. “If we play like that every inning, it is going to do well for us these next few games.”
The pitching and defensive woes continued for Texas Southern (25-17) in the second inning by allowing five runs on four hits as a Lady Tigers’ pitching staff.
After she led off the second with double, Quinn advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a wild pitch. Andrews drove in another run with a single to left, extending LSU’s lead to 12-0.
Bell recorded her second triple of the season and drove two runs and took command of the LSU RBI lead with 70 RBIs this season. Jaquish tallied the last run of the inning and the historic outing with a RBI single.
While the Tigers’ order lit up the scoreboard, Selman made her mark by recording seven strikeouts to only two walks in her first start since Game 3 against Texas A&M on April 20.
“Kelsee Selman did exactly what we needed her to do,” Torina said. “She threw hard, and she threw strikes…She’s our five-inning pitcher. Every time she pitches, it seems like we go five innings. That was a lot of fun to see her out there and really set the tone for this regional.”
The Tigers face a short turnaround of less than 12 hours before they take the field against Arizona State, which defeated Nebraska 5-2 in Game 1 of the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday afternoon.
First pitch for LSU’s matchup against the Sun Devils is set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Tiger Park.
Torina’s message heading into the second round of the Regional is simple – get rest.
“They just need to get home and get some rest,” Torina said. “They are prepared for this. They have been through adversity… It’s disappointing that we have such a short turn around with such an important game. It is what it is. We will show up and give our best effort. They will be prepared and ready.”