The the No. 14 LSU Tigers defeated Ole Miss in a one-run battle in Tiger Park tonight with a score of 1-0 to avoid extra innings for the second time in as many days. .
The game remained scoreless in the bottom of the seventh inning, and the Tigers (32-6, 7-3 Southeastern Conference) appeared to be heading to extra innings.
However, on the first pitch in the bottom of the seventh, freshman designated hitter Shelbi Sunseri hit a homerun that bounced off the top of the right field wall, giving LSU a 1-0 edge over Ole Miss (18-16, 3-11 SEC).
“[At the plate] I was just thinking, ‘Our pitchers have been working so hard. It’s been so many extra-innings for [Hoover and Walljasper], and it’s time to do it for them,’” Sunseri said. “I went up thinking ‘just jump on this first pitch,’”
Coach Beth Torina has complete confidence in Sunseri’s ability to put the ball in play for the Tigers.
“There’s nobody more deserving than Shelbi Sunseri,” Torina said. “She works so hard. She’s the last one here every day. There’s no one who deserves this moment like her.”
Senior pitcher Carley Hoover pitched all seven innings in the circle tonight for the Tigers. Once again, Hoover dominated.
In the first two innings alone, Hoover had six strikeouts in as many batters. In seven innings, Hoover threw for a season-high 14 strikeouts, allowed two hits and no earned runs. Hoover now has a 0.97 ERA on the season.
“She’s so good, so talented and that’s what she’s capable of,” Torina said. “I don’t want to say that it goes unnoticed, but we’ve seen her do it so many times that this is the expectation for her.”
Hoover humbly gave credit to junior catcher Michaela Schlattman and Torina for her performance in the circle.
“I think Michaela and Coach [Torina] calling pitches was probably 99% of the reason [for her strikeouts],” said Hoover. “It was a great game and a great time, but there’s a lot I can get better at.”
Ava Tillmann started in the circle for the Ole Miss. Tillman had a strong night pitching throwing for six innings and allowing three hits and one earned run.
After the win, Hoover rose to 14-3 on the season while Tillman fell to 2-2.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Tigers totaled three hits and no errors from Sunseri, sophomore right fielder Aliyah Andrews and sophomore first basemen Amanda Doyle.
The Rebels had two hits from junior first basemen Brittany Finner and junior left fielder Elantra Cox.
LSU and Ole Miss will play the final game of the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Tiger Park.