BATON ROUGE – Pitcher Julie Stashko held the Southwest Texas State scoreless as the LSU Tiger bats combined for 15 hits to top the Bobcats, 13-0, in five innings as the Tigers improved to 43-8.
The Tigers will face Southeastern Conference opponent Arkansas in a weekend series starting at 6 p.m. on Friday at Tiger Park. Game one of Friday’s double header will be televised on Fox Sports Southwest (Ch. 26 in Baton Rouge). Saturday’s double header will begin at 1 p.m. with all four games being broadcast on the LSU Sports Network (107.3 FM) and www.LSUsports.net.
“Believe it or not, I am not happy with our performance tonight,” said head coach Glenn Moore. “We lost our intensity against a team that has been playing very well. We were not focused but fortunate enough to win a game pretty easily. We took ourselves out of a big inning in the beginning with several base running errors because of a lack of focus. We can’t have that this weekend against Arkansas. Southwest Texas is a much better team than they played tonight, which they proved last night with a win over Louisiana-Lafayette.”
Stashko pitched five innings for the Tigers only allowing three hits and no runs. She had three strikeouts and walked none, improving her record to 7-0.
“I am really pleased with Julie Stashko’s performance. She stayed focused throughout the game and had one of her best performances as a Lady Tiger against a very good hitting team. For her to pitch an entire game that well, where she is generally a closer, is a big deal.”
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead early when senior first baseman Shaunte’ Fremin started the second off with a solo home run off the scoreboard. Catcher Megann Steege then doubled to right field and scored when right fielder Trena Peel singled to left field.
In the third, Fremin picked up a second RBI when she singled with bases loaded to send home second baseman Stephanie Hastings. Bobcat third baseman Sarah Kmiec then had a bad throw home that hit shortstop Tara Asbill’s helmet and allowed her and third baseman Ashlee Ducote to score. Steege then hit her second double of the night to send home two more runs for the Tigers. Pinch runner Janell Deslattes and designated hitter Ashley Lewis scored on the double. Peel followed Steege’s double with one of her own that sent home Steege to put LSU up 8-0.
Ducote hit an RBI single to start the scoring in the fourth for the Tigers and sent Hastings across the plate. Pinch hitter Jennie Reeves then hit a single with bases loaded to send home Asbill. Steege also picked up an RBI as Ducote made it home. Center fielder Stacey Newton then doubled to send home Steege and Reeves.
“I am really pleased with the way we are swinging the bat,” said Moore.
The Tigers had 15 hits off pitcher Kristy Gandy. Steege and Fremin each went 3-for-3 with three RBI. Peel was 2-for-2 and Reeves was 1-for-1. Steege had two doubles, and Peel and Newton each had one. Fremin hit her fifth home run of the season.