The No. 5 LSU softball team struggled a little against Centenary, but was still able to sneak out of Shreveport with a 4-0 victory Wednesday night.
The Tigers came out flat early, but caught fire in the fourth inning as sophomores Lauren Delahoussaye and Stephanie Hill both belted home runs to give LSU a 3-0 lead.
The home runs were enough offense for the Tigers, as freshman pitcher Emily Turner (10-2) pitched a complete-game, seven-hit shutout, while striking out seven Ladies batters.
“We’re just happy with the win,” said LSU coach Yvette Girouard. “It’s good to see Stephanie Hill’s bat come back and to see her hit the ball with authority. Emily pitched pretty good, she scattered some hits. I said before that they were a better team than we saw at the beginning of the year at Tiger Park, and they kind of showed that tonight.”
Centenary (13-14) had their chances to score early in the ball game as the Ladies had two hits in both the second and third innings. However, Turner was able to withstand the Ladies’ charge and prevent Centenary from scoring.
In the fourth inning, LSU made the Ladies pay for their inability to score as Delahoussaye and Hill belted home runs to give LSU a 3-0 lead. Delahoussaye started the scoring with a one-out solo home run, her sixth of the season, to left field. Hill followed two batters later with a two-run home run, her seventh of the season, to extend LSU?s lead to 3-0. On the night Hill went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored.
The Tigers threatened to score again in the fifth when Camille Harris and LaDonia Hughes both reached base to lead off the inning. But LSU could not add to its three run lead as Harris was caught stealing third base and Hughes was thrown out at home trying to score on a Lauren Castle single.
LSU (26-5) pushed across its final run of the game in the sixth inning when catcher Leigh Ann Danos singled to left field, scoring senior Julie Wiese from third. Wiese, who went 1-for-2 with two runs scored, reached base on a double to left field.
Turner closed out the game for the Tigers by allowing only one hit over the final two innings to preserve the win.
Four hundred and fifty-five fans attended last nights game in Shreveport, which was the largest home crowd in Centenary softball history.
“I told the team tonight that they always have to remember that they represent LSU,” Girouard said. “Their fans were here to see LSU tonight — the national champion football team. LSU the national champion men’s and women’s track teams. LSU the No. 1 baseball team in the country. LSU the No. 5 team softball team in the country. The team can never forget that — that is why the park is crowded.”
Ladies pitcher Cheyenne Daries (8-7), who gave up four hits and three runs in four innings of work, received the loss for the Ladies.