COLUMBUS, Ga. — The No. 6 LSU softball team (12-2) defeated Seton Hall, 7-2, in game one and fell to No. 9 Stanford 2-0 in game two of day one of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
“It was a goofy day for us,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. “I was not pleased with the way that we handled ourselves. We played sloppy in game one and basically let the second game get away from us. The second game was all about adjustments, and we have to learn how to adjust.”
In game one, Erin Johnson singled to right field with bases loaded and no outs to send home Christy Connor and Trena Peel and start the scoring for LSU. Megann Steege grounded out to the shortstop with the bases loaded to send home Julie Wiese and put the Tigers up 4-0.
Seton Hall answered back with a solo home run by Melissa Kern.
LSU came back in the bottom of the fifth to score four runs with no outs and back-to-back home runs. Connor hit a two run homer to left field that scored Stephanie Hastings. Peel followed Connor with a solo shot over the right field fence. The Tigers finished up the scoring in the bottom of the fifth when Wiese made it home on a wild pitch from Barbie LaFogg.
Seton Hall left fielder Marlena Kotynski singled to center field in the top of the sixth to send Mary Carroll Smith across the plate for the Pirate’s second run of the game.
LSU senior pitcher Ashley Lewis went the distance for the Tigers to pick up her fifth win of the season. Lewis sat down six Pirate batters with seven hits and no walks.
The Tiger bats pounded 10 hits off a trio pitching staff for Seton Hall.
Connor led the Tigers at the plate, going three-for-three and hitting her second home run of the year. Peel also hit her second homer of the season.
In game two, Stanford pulled ahead first with a solo homer in the bottom of the second by Sarah Beeson. Britni Sneed then walked the next batter but got herself out of trouble with two strikeouts and a ground out to end the inning.
Stanford launched a second home run by Jessica Mendoza to lead off the top of the fourth and put the Cardinals up 2-0.
Johnson broke up Cardinal pitcher Dena Sorensen’s perfect game with a single to second base to lead off the top of the sixth. However, Sorensen would retire the side with a ground out and two strikeouts and hold the Tigers scoreless.
The Tigers would put two runners on base to lead off the top of the seventh, but Sorensen struck out the next three batters to win the game.
Sneed would pick up her second loss of the season, bringing her record to 6-2, while tying her single game strikeout record with 13 K’s on the evening. Sorensen allowed two LSU hits and struck out 12 batters.