BATON ROUGE — The top-seeded LSU softball team came back from one run down to score two in the bottom of the fifth and stay alive by beating Hofstra Saturday afternoon at the NCAA Regional at Tiger Park.
LSU set a school record with its 58th win of the season against 12 loses. Britni Sneed improved her record to 27-6 on the season while Ashley Lewis earned her first save of her college career by pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.
The Tigers advance to play Southern Miss Saturday night at 7 p.m. for a chance to play in the NCAA Regional final on Sunday.
Hofstra starter Alicia Smith received the loss after going the distance without allowing an earned run. She fell to 21-9 to end the season.
Hofstra scored first against the Tigers with two outs in the top of the second. Jessica Luna singled and scored on a double off the wall in right center field by Lindsay Sawyer. The earned run was the first that the Tigers have allowed in the NCAA Regional.
The Tigers tried to answer in the bottom of the inning as Tara Asbill ran out an infield single and Trena Peel reach on a fielding error on a sacrifice bunt. But after Shante Fremin flew out to the shortstop and Jen Schuelke struckout, Stacey Newton was thrown after trying to bunt her way on.
LSU put up another threat in the bottom of the third as Dee Douglas walked, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was stranded there.
Once again in the bottom of the fifth, LSU put together a two-out rally. This time, the Tigers came through as Stephanie Hastings reached on an error by the shortstop, Ashlee Ducote walked and Ashley Lewis lined a double over the head of left fielder Mari Shepard to drive in two runs and take the lead.