In a hard fought series against Southeastern Conference foe Alabama, the No. 4 LSU softball team took the rubber match, 8-1.
The Tigers (23-3, 2-1 SEC) used a three-run first inning to help propel them to victory.
Alabama (22-4, 1-2 SEC) held tough with the Tigers most of the way, but LSU eventually pulled away from the Crimson Tide. Heading into the bottom of the sixth with LSU leading 3-1, the Tigers scored five insurance runs with the help from two veterans.
Senior shortstop Bianka Bell blasted a solo home run to put the Tigers up 6-1, and senior catcher Kellsi Kloss put the nail in the coffin with a two-run homer, giving LSU an 8-1 lead.
“At that at-bat, we were already winning by a lot,” Kloss said. “I just told myself to jump on the first pitch that I saw was good. It felt really good off the bat.”
LSU coach Beth Torina said her team normally needs three ingredients to win games: pitching, offense and defense. Although, her team only put two of the three to use this weekend as the Tigers committed nine errors in the series, Torina is still pleased about the outcome.
“Any time you can win a series against a team of their caliber, then you’re in good shape,” Torina said. “I would have loved to get all three, but we’re happy to win the series.”
Defensive errors have been a problem most of the season for the Tigers. Before the matchup, the LSU defense had tallied 24 errors this season. Six of the defensive miscues this weekend came in Saturday’s 10-3 loss.
Sloppy defense isn’t something the Tigers pride themselves on, Torina said.
“We really played bad,” Torina said. “Over the course of a 56-game season, that’s going to happen. Unfortunately, we don’t want it to happen in SEC play. We don’t want it to ever happen.”
Sophomore pitcher Carley Hoover’s two strong performances in the circle propelled the Tigers to two victories. The hurler appeared in all three games this weekend, recording wins in the two games she started.
Hoover (10-0) held one of the top leadoff hitters in the country, Alabama senior outfielder Haylie McCleney, to only one hit when the two faced.
McCleney entered the weekend with a .500 batting average and .661 on-base percentage, which led the NCAA.
“[Hoover] did a good job,” Torina said. “She really executed the plan. Our team plays so well behind her when she’s on the mound.”
Another standout from this series was the LSU offense.
Coming into the series, the Tigers had outscored their opponents, 182-38. But the Tide touted one of best pitchers in the conference — sophomore Alexis Osorio.
But, the Tigers didn’t struggle against the Alabama ace. The LSU lineup notched 20 hits and four home runs against Osorio, who finished the weekend with 13 earned runs.
“My coaches did their job well,” Bell said. “They know what’s coming. They study film non-stop, day and night. We were really prepared.”
Bell helped spark the Tigers’ offense, finishing the weekend 5-for-10 at the plate with two home runs and five RBIs.
Sophomore outfielder Emily Griggs was also key for LSU. As the two-hole hitter, Griggs set the tone early for the Tigers. She ended the weekend 6-for-12 and scored two runs.
With the first SEC series out of the way for LSU, the Tigers will head to Ruston, Louisiana, for a midweek match up against Louisiana Tech on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
The Tigers rallied to beat the Lady Techsters, 9-6, in their first matchup this season on March 5 in the LSU Invitational.
The trip up north will be the first true road test for the Tigers, who are aware of the challenge it brings.
“They give us a game every time we play them,” Bell said. “We’re definitely are going to have to battle any adversity we might come through.”

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Wingate Jones

LSU sophmore pitcher Carley Hoover (21) looks into the crowd during LSU's 6-2 victory against the University of Alabama on March 11, 2016 at Tiger Park