The tide turned on LSU when the Tigers traveled to Florida this past weekend for a three-game series.
The Gators ended the Tigers’ 17-game winning streak with back-to-back wins in a doubleheader Saturday and then completed the sweep with a shutout Sunday afternoon.
No. 8 LSU (29-7, 8-3) managed only one run in the three games as No. 3 Florida (40-2, 12-1) swept the series, 6-1, 2-0 and 7-0.
“We kind of looked like the ‘Bad News Bears’ at times,” LSU coach Yvette Girouard said in a Saturday news release. “Florida is a very good team, and we have a lot of respect for them. But we didn’t pitch as well as we have been, and we got no timely hitting.”
The Tigers’ only run of the series came Saturday in the top of the first inning of the first game when senior catcher Killian Roessner drove home sophomore centerfielder Jazz Jackson on an RBI single.
The Gators then held the Tigers scoreless for the series’ final 20 innings. The Tigers left 22 runners on base in the three games.
Florida capitalized on three LSU errors for the two wins Saturday when five of the Gators’ eight runs were unearned.
“Obviously they played far cleaner than we did, and consequently they got two wins,” Girouard said.
All seven Florida runs Sunday were earned runs as the Gators got to LSU junior pitcher Dani Hofer early and often.
Hofer allowed three runs in the first inning before being replaced by sophomore Cody Trahan after only 1/3 of an inning.
Trahan then allowed four runs in 4 1/3 innings before senior Tiffany Garcia came on to close out the loss.
The Gators hit three home runs in Sunday’s victory.
The losses not only ended the Tigers’ 17-game winning streak this season but also an 11-game winning streak against Florida.
The three losses are the only games current LSU players have lost to Florida.
LSU’s first chance to get back on track will come at home Wednesday against McNeese State. The Tigers hit the road again to face another highly-ranked Southeastern Conference foe in No. 2 Alabama on Saturday.
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]