LEXINGTON, Ky. — A pair of Christy Connor RBI doubles and a two-hitter by Britni Sneed led the fifth-ranked Tiger softball team to a Southeastern Conference doubleheader sweep of Kentucky, 1-0 and 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at the UK Softball Complex.
With the wins, the Tigers improve to 39-8 overall and 19-3 in the SEC, extending their winning streak to nine straight. Kentucky falls to 21-25 overall and 3-14 in SEC play.
Having now won 19 of their last 20, LSU will go for the series sweep in the final game on Sunday. That game has been moved up one hour to an 11 a.m. CT start time to help better accommodate the LSU travel plans.
“It was good to come away with a pair of wins today,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We just couldn’t seem to get runs across the plate in the first game, but give Kentucky credit for making the plays when they needed to. When you have a pitcher like Britni Sneed, all it takes is one or two runs, but it would have been nice if we could have given her a few more.
“In the second game, our hits were more timely and Christy came through with those two big doubles. Now we have to come back out here and try to complete the sweep tomorrow.”
In game one, Sneed threw a two-hitter in earning the victory, running her record to 21-5 on the season. The senior from Houston recorded her 15th complete-game shutout of the season.
Adding 15 strikeouts, she ran her season total over 300 for the second straight year and improved her career total to 1,195, just five behind former Northwestern pitcher Lisa Ishikawa in seventh place in NCAA history.
LSU got the only run it would need in the top of the second inning. With one out, Megann Steege singled to left field and advanced to second on a ground out by Blair Smith. Jennie Reeves then knocked a single to centerfield.
Steege came around to score from second, sliding in just under the tag of Wildcat catcher Lyndsey Angus.
After allowing a single in the bottom of the first inning, Sneed retired the next eight Kentucky batters, seven by way of the strikeout, before the Wildcats got their final hit of the game, a bunt single, in the bottom of the fourth inning.
The Tigers had a chance to add to their 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Erin Johnson singled down the right field line and she advanced to second on a single by Tessa Lynam.
Julie Wiese then laid down a near-perfect bunt and got a base hit that loaded the bases with one out, but LSU could not convert. Steege hit into a fielder’s choice as Johnson was thrown out at home and Blair Smith hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning as Wiese was thrown out at second. Sneed retired the final 11 Kentucky batters of the game.
Kristin Schmidt got the win for the Tigers in the second game, improving to 14-3 on the season. She allowed five hits, one unearned run, while walking two and striking out seven.
Connor nailed a pair of doubles, improving her season total to a team high 14, extending her hitting streak to seven games. Going 1-for-3 with a walk, Peel scored three of the Tigers four runs in the game.
The Tigers got their first run in the top of the first inning. After a leadoff walk by Trena Peel, April Janzen advanced her to second on a sacrifice bunt. A groundout by Connor advanced Peel to third base. Johnson then knocked Connor in on a single up the middle.
Kentucky threatened in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Rachel Friberg singled and then advanced to second, as Janzen was unable to get her out at second on the fielder’s choice by Meghan Cooper.
A sacrifice bunt by Jessica Nance put runners on second and third, but Kristin Schmidt struck Megan Brooks out swinging to end the inning.
LSU added a pair of runs in the top of the third. Reeves singled to start the inning. She advanced to second on an error as a throw by the Wildcat shortstop Angie Dal Pozzo pulled second baseman Friberg off the bag on the fielder’s choice by Peel.
Janzen then hit a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third before Connor nailed a double to centerfield that scored Reeves and Peel.
Kentucky scored the first run on the Tigers in the bottom of the third, breaking a streak of 32 scoreless innings. With two outs, back-to-back singles put runners on first and second. Wiese then bounced a throw to Connor at first that got away from her on a ground ball by Andy Eilertson and Angus came around to score from second.
Connor nailed her second double of the game in the top of the fifth inning.
With two outs and Peel on second after a fielder’s choice, Connor rocketed a ball to deep right field that the Kentucky right fielder Jessica Nance jumped up to try to make a play on, but the ball ricocheted off her glove and rolled to the wall, allowing Peel to score.
Kentucky threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Wildcats stranded runners on first and second as Sandi Dengler hit a line drive to Steege in right field to end the game.