BATON ROUGE — The LSU softball pitchers dominated the double header with East Tennessee State as the Tigers (9-1) shutdown the Buccaneers 9-0 in five innings in each game of the Monday double header.
“Our pitchers totally dominated and set the tempo for the double header,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. “I told the team yesterday that we had come out here and dominate both offensively and defensively, and we did. We were a little disappointed that we left so many on base. We need to get better at that.”
The double header will be televised by the Pelican Sports Network on Cox Cable Channel 18 in Baton Rouge. Game one can be seen at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, with game two of the double header airing at 4 p.m.
The Tigers jumped on Buccaneer pitcher Tiffany Vandergriff early in the first inning with three runs on two hits. Shortstop Stephanie Hastings singled to score Dee Douglas for the first run. Freshman Julie Wiese later doubled down the left field line to send home Hastings and Christy Connor.
LSU added two runs to the total score in the bottom of the second inning. Douglas made it home on a passed ball after being moved to third on a bunt single by Aleshia Perry. Hastings picked up her second RBI of the game with a ground out that sent home Perry.
In the third inning, the Tigers finished off the run total with four runs on five hits. Auburne Ziober singled to center field for her first hit of the year, sending home Jill Crawford. A fielding error by the Bucs allowed Hastings to reach first and pick up her third RBI of the night as Douglas and Ziober crossed the plate. Trena Peel hit her fourth double of the season scoring Connor.
Tiger pitchers Britni Sneed and Sarah Meadors combined for the Tigers first no-hitter of the season. Sneed picked up her fifth win of the season in three innings of work with eight strikeouts. Meadors pitched two innings in relief with five strikeouts.
The Tigers pounded 10 hits off Vandergriff. Douglas and Peel each went 2-for-2 with Peel hitting her fourth double of the season. Wiese hit her first double of the season.
In game two, LSU once again started early with two runs on two hits. Connor doubled to send home Douglas and Hastings. Crawford tripled off the right field wall in the second to send home catcher Jennie Reeves. Hastings, Perry and Douglas all scored when right fielder Amber Ledbetter missed a fly ball hit by Hastings and it rolled to the fence.
The Tigers scored three runs off four hits in the third inning to bring the score to 9-0.
Senior pitcher Ashley Lewis topped her personal best of 10 strikeouts in a game, striking out 11 Buc batters in five innings of work. Lewis moves to 3-0 on the season. The Tigers combined for nine hits off Buc pitcher Kayla Calvert.
LSU will host in-state opponent Nicholls State in a 5:30 p.m. double header on Tuesday at Tiger Park before traveling to Columbus, Ga. for the NFCA Leadoff Classic.