TEMPE, Ariz.– The No. 8 LSU Tiger softball team upset the fourth ranked Washington Huskies 14-2 and topped Wisconsin 15-6 in an afternoon match-up to pick up two wins to start the season.
“This was a great way to start the season,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. “We had a great win over Washington, and I think the team was prepared and focused. It showed in every aspect of the game. We made things happen both offensively and defensively and came back with great character in the second game after a sloppy first inning. I was impressed with the team’s determination to win in the second game. We had a mental high after beating Washington, and I was concerned that they would be let down. Today was a total team effort, with everyone contributing.”
The Tigers took the lead early in the first inning when left fielder Dee Douglas scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Stephanie Hastings. Freshman third baseman Julie Wiese homered to left field in her first at bat as a Tiger in the second to put LSU up 2-0.
In the top of the third, LSU right fielder Trena Peel hit a three run triple to left field to score Erin Johnson, Hastings and Aleshia Perry and give the Tigers the 6-0 lead. Washington managed to get two runs across the plate in the bottom of the third, but that would be the only ones as the Tiger bats continued to pound off hits.
It was two Husky errors in the top of the sixth that allowed the Tigers to add three runs to their tally. Douglas and April Janzen each scored when Perry reached first on a throwing error by the pitcher. Hastings then singled to send home Perry.
The Tigers would end the game with five runs in the top of the seventh with Auburne Ziober, Sara Fitzgerald, Douglas, Hastings and Johnson all scoring.
LSU had nine hits off Husky pitchers Shannon Walsh and Bridget Wilcox. Junior Britni Sneed went the entire game for the Tigers, striking out nine batters and only allowing four hits.
In the second game of the day against the Wisconsin Badgers, LSU took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Perry scored on a single by Johnson. But the Tigers would give up four runs in the bottom of the inning due to three errors.
However, the Tigers would come back in the top of the second with six runs to pull ahead of the Badgers, 7-4, off six LSU hits. Wisconsin would bring the score within one in the bottom of the inning with a two run homer by Meghann Reiss.
LSU jumped on the ball in the sixth inning scoring eight runs off seven hits. Megann Steege hit a single to send home Jill Crawford and April Janzen, and Johnson hit her second triple of the game to send home Hastings.
The Tigers pounded 19 hits off Badger pitcher Jennifer Cummings, who had three strikeouts. LSU pitcher Ashley Lewis went two innings for the Tigers, giving up four hits. LSU Freshman Sarah Meadors pitched the final four innings with out giving up a hit and striking out four.
LSU plays No. 3 Arizona at noon on Saturday and Massachusetts at 6:30 p.m.