The LSU softball team defeated Oregon State with a 1-0 shutout  on Sunday to go undefeated in the Purple and Gold Challenge. The win capped off a 10-0 start to the season, the best start since the 2015 season.
The Tiger’s fielding shined again against Oregon State. LSU only allowed one run, three hits, and had no errors.
Senior pitcher Carley Hoover started in the circle and picked up her fourth win of the season. Hoover pitched all seven-innings, allowing no runs, giving up only three hits and throwing six strikeouts.
“I feel a little more sense of calmness this season,” Hoover said. “All of our catchers are working hard, our defense looks rock solid. Having Allie [Walljasper] have my back, and having the pitching staff we have, there’s no reason I shouldn’t be confident.”
The Beavers pitching and fielding were stout throughout the game.
Oregon St.’s pitcher Meehra Nelson pitched six innings, giving up three hits and had an ERA of 1.06. The Tigers handed Nelson the first loss of her six appearances. The Beavers had no errors in seven innings.
“Sometimes it’s not going to be pretty, but [the offense] figured it out,” Hoover said.
The three Tigers’ hits came all came in the fifth inning from junior second baseman Becca Shulte, junior catcher Michaela Schlattman and freshman right fielder Taryn Antoine.
Antoine drove in the game-winning run, with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior short stop Amber Serrett tagged-up at third base and gave Antoine the game’s only RBI.
“I thought, ‘Just be calm, do it for me team,’” Antoine said. “That’s the best moment, when we’re doing it together. Even though I got out, we’re just doing it for each other.”
Antoine also had the game-ending out, with an electrifying diving catch on a line-drive in right field.
“We’re still finding ourselves, I don’t think we’re anywhere close to where going to be [at the end of the season],” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “We’re showing what we are. We’re understanding ourselves. There’s still a ton of stuff we want to keep working on, but we’re in a good spot as we’re moving forward.”
The Tigers are preparing to hit the road, and will be traveling to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Stockton, California. LSU will face-off against Fresno State, No. 3 Oregon and No. 5 UCLA.
“I’m really excited that we’re facing  more competition next weekend,” Hoover said. “We’re facing a team that knocked us out last year [Oregon] and another team we saw in the World Series [UCLA].”
The Tigers are looking to remain undefeated, and will Play Fresno St. on Thursday at 4:30 p.m., UCLA on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Oregon on Sunday at 11 a.m.