COLUMBUS, Ga. — The ninth-ranked LSU softball team defeated Villanova, 6-2, before falling to seventh-ranked Cal State Fullerton, 7-6, in the nightcap of the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday at the South Commons Softball Complex.
After 38-minutes of rain delays in the bottom of the sixth inning against Cal State Fullerton (11-4), the Tigers (10-4) lost a 6-4 lead in the top of the seventh inning, allowing three unearned runs. Villanova dropped both of its games on Saturday to fall to 0-2 on the season.
“I am disappointed because we just let one slip away in the end against Cal State Fullerton,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard.
For the day, Sara Fitzgerald went 2-for-8 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Camille Harris enjoyed a 2-for-4 performance from the plate with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored and her first career double. Jennie Reeves also went 2-for-4 with three walks and three runs scored.
With LSU leading 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, rain then interrupted play against Cal State Fullerton. After two delays totaling 38 minutes, play resumed and Cal State Fullerton came back to take the lead in the top of the seventh. Playing in sloppy, wet field conditions after two rain showers, Tiger shortstop Blair Smith threw the ball away trying to get Krista O’Hanian out on a ground ball. A single by Jennifer Holt advanced O’Hanian to second before a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third.
After a popout to third base, Jodie Cox singled up the middle, her fourth hit of the day, to score O’Hanian and Holt and tie the game at six. On a bizarre play, Jenny Topping attempted to go to first as if being walked with a three-ball count as Cox stole second, moving the go-ahead run into scoring position.
Topping then hit a ground ball to Smith at shortstop, but she once again had trouble throwing the wet ball, sailing it past Alicia Owen at first, which allowed Cox to score from second for the 7-6 Titan lead. After the Tigers got out of the inning on a popout to third base, LSU could not mount a comeback on the bottom of the seventh, going down in order to end the game.
Cal State Fullerton threatened early in the game, loading the bases in the top of the first inning. With one out, Cox singled to center field. Topping then walked to advance Cox to second. After Amanda Hockett struck out, Jody Campbell walked to load the bases. Amy LaRocque then grounded out to Smith to end the inning and the threat.
The Titans got on the board with one in the top of the second inning.
O’Hanian led off with a single. After back-to-back sacrifice bunts moved her to third, Jennie Oaks walked to put runners on the corners. A single by Cox to right field scored O’Hanian and put runners on first and third. Topping then drew her second walk of the day to load the bases. Kristin Schmidt got Hockett to fly out to center field to end the inning and once again in the threat.
Cal State Fullerton added two more runs in the top of the third inning to run the Titan lead to 3-0. With two outs O’Hanian and Holt hit back-to-back solo home runs to left field.
The Tigers came back to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Camille Harris drew a walk. She advanced to second on an infield single by LaDonia Hughes. A double steal put runners on second and third before a Sara Fitzgerald single scored both runs to cut the Titan lead to 3-2.
Back-to-back singles by Julie Wiese and Christy Connor loaded the bases before an infield groundout by Blair Smith scored Fitzgerald from third to tie the game. Megann Steege struck out to end the inning.
LSU added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Owen walked to lead off the inning. Reeves singled down the left field line to advance Owen to second. A sacrifice bunt by Harris moved the runners to second and third.
Hughes then singled to load the bases.
With two outs, Wiese hit a fly ball to left field that Kristy Halagarda dropped for the error, clearing the bases and giving LSU the 6-3 lead.
The Titans got one run back in the top of the sixth inning. With one out Cox singled up the middle. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Topping walked to put runners on first and second, a double by Campbell scored Cox to cut the LSU lead to 6-4 before the rain soaked bottom of the inning.
Schmidt got the complete-game loss for LSU to fall to 4-4 on the season. She allowed seven runs, only four of which were earned, on 10 hits with seven walks and seven strikeouts. Gina Oaks got the win for Cal State Fullerton to improve to 8-1 on the year. She allowed four runs, three of which were earned, on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
In the first game, Villanova jumped ahead with the early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Ricci Lugo led off with a single through the left side. She advanced to second on an infield groundout. After a flyout, Sara Carlson doubled in Lugo for the first run of the game to give the Wildcats the advantage.
The Tigers came back to answer with four in the top of the second inning.
With one out Smith singled through the left side. An error by Lugo allowed Owen to reach first and Smith to advance to second. A Steege single loaded the bases before Reeves drew a walk to score the first LSU run.
Harris then nailed her first career double to left centerfield to score Owen and Steege and give the Tigers the 3-0 lead. LSU ran the score to 4-0 on a wild pitch that allowed Reeves to score from third.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers added two more runs. Owens led off the inning with a walk. With one out, Reeves singled to left field and Owens advanced to second. Harris then drew a walk to load the bases. A fielder’s choice by Leigh Ann Danos, pinch-hitting for Hughes got Owens out a home, before Fitzgerald singled up the middle to score Harris and Hughes and give LSU the 6-1 lead.
With one out in the bottom of the sixth, Sara Carlson doubled to right center field. Allison Wisniewski followed that with a single to advance Carlson to third. A wild pitch moved Wisniewski to second before a walk to Kari Koller loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly by Veronica Alvarez scored Calson from third to cut the lead to 6-2 before Sarah Wall popped out to Smith at shortstop to end the threat.
Tessa Lynam earned the complete-game win for LSU to run her season record to 6-0. She allowed two runs on eight hits with two walks and eight strikeouts.
Kristen Haynes got the loss for Villanova to drop her to 0-1 on the year.
She allowed four runs, three of which were earned, on three hits with one walk in one and a third innings. Shannon Williams came on in relief to pitch four complete innings. She allowed two runs on two hits with three walks.
Theresa Hornick closed out the game for the Wildcats. She pitched one and two thirds innings, allowing two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.
LSU will complete play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Sunday at 10 a.m. CT against No. 10 Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated Villanova 3-1 on Saturday.