The No. 14 ranked LSU softball team survived a late scare from Louisiana Tech, rallying to win 7-5 on sophomore Sahvanna Jaquish’s three-run, walk-off home run.
Going into tonight’s game the Tigers (11-0) had outscored opponents 63-8, winning many games by large margins. However, Louisiana Tech (6-5) was persistent, erasing an early deficit to take the lead late in the game before the Tigers ultimately prevailed in the bottom of the seventh inning with Jaquish’s three-run shot.
LSU’s response to a Louisiana Tech side that refused to go away showed LSU coach Beth Torina something she liked to see: fight.
“Of all the skills you want your team to have, it’s great they can hit or pitch, but it’s better that they can fight,” Torina said. “So for them to show us that early in the season, that’s something we definitely like to see.”
The Tigers grabbed control early. Senior center fielder A.J. Andrews walked in LSU’s first at-bat of the game. A wild pitch allowed her to advance to second, and an illegal pitch allowed her to take third.
Junior shortstop Bianka Bell also drew a walk. Jaquish’s single advanced Bell and allowed Andrews to score, giving LSU a 1-0 lead. Junior first baseman Sandra Simmons followed with a double to score Bell and give LSU a 2-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Sophomore second baseman Constance Quinn extended LSU’s lead to 3-0 with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, her first of the season.
Quinn said she has been struggling a little bit at the plate, but to finally see the ball come off her bat and land in fair territory gives her confidence moving forward.
After the Tigers took a 3-0 lead, Louisiana Tech fought its way back in the game.
Freshman Carley Hoover gave up a bases loaded walk in the fourth inning, allowing the Lady Techsters to cut the lead to 3-1.
Sophomore Kelsee Selman replaced Hoover in the circle to start the fifth inning, but Louisiana Tech’s rally continued. Junior catcher Krysta Tutsch tied the game 3-3 with a two-run home run to center field.
Freshman Allie Walljasper (4-0) took over for Selman in the circle during the sixth inning and was ultimately credited with the win.
A pair of timely hits and two LSU errors allowed Louisiana Tech to take a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning, but Jaquish had no doubts the Tigers would rally.
“There’s a saying that great teams always come back no matter what,” Jaquish said. “So in the bottom of the seventh I knew that we were all going to do it together as a team.”
In the bottom of the seventh, it was the top of LSU’s lineup that combined to get the job done.
Andrews walked and sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry singled to give Bell a chance at the plate with two runners on base and nobody out.
Bell hit a double to center field to advance Landry and score Andrews, cutting Louisiana Tech’s lead to 5-4.
Jaquish stepped up and ended the game with one swing. She hit a towering home run to left field to give LSU a 7-5 victory.
It was Jaquish’s swing that finished the game, but Torina said the Tigers saw a lot of different players contribute.
“This was a team effort, honestly,” Torina said. “We had pinch runners, we had pinch hitters, we had multiple pitchers, we had a lot of people contribute.”
LSU travels to California to face San Diego State at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The Tigers will also play games against Cal State Fullerton, Arizona, Nebraska and Northwestern.
