BATON ROUGE — Behind the third straight shutout performance by Kristin Schmidt, the eight-ranked LSU softball team run-ruled Jackson State, 9-1, in six innings and Houston, 8-0, in five innings to win the fourth annual Purple & Gold Challenge at Tiger Park on Saturday afternoon.
For her efforts, Schmidt was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. In four appearances, she posted a perfect 3-0 record with three shutouts. She allowed only eight total hits in 20 and a third innings pitched, while recording 24 strikeouts.
“Kristin has pitched well all year,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “She’s a very good pitcher and when she is on, she is tough to beat.”
Leigh Ann Danos, LaDonia Hughes, Tessa Lynam and Alicia Owen were also named to the all-tournament team for the Tigers. The four combined to go 28-for-57 (.491) from the plate for the tournament with 11 doubles, 21 RBIs, one home run, and 24 runs scored for a .737 slugging percentage.
With the victories, LSU improves to 15-5 on the year and finished the tournament with a 5-1 record. Houston (10-10) defeated Southern Miss (7-9) to advance to the championship game and finished the tournament with at 3-2. Jackson State did not win a game in the tournament to finish at 0-5 to fall to 3-14 on the season.
“I’m really pleased,” said Girouard. “It was a little struggle in that first game, but we kind of woke up in this second game. We kind of challenged their pride after Houston came in here and beat us last night that no way were we going to let them come in here and walk away with our trophy. We really came out smoking in that second game. It was a really great job.”
LSU jumped on the Cougars early in the game, putting four on the board in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Sara Fitzgerald tripled to left centerfield. Julie Wiese then walked to put runners on the corners. On a walk to Lynam, Fitzgerald scored and Wiese moved to second on a wild pitch.
After a foul out by Owen, Danos doubled to left field, scoring Wiese and moving Lynam to third. A single down the left field line by Blair Smith scored both Danos and Wiese to put the Tigers up 4-0 after one complete.
In the bottom of the second inning, LSU tacked on two more runs. With one out, Hughes doubled on a hot shot down the right field line. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double to centerfield by Wiese. On a single by Lynam, Wiese scored and Lynam advanced to second on a bobble by the Cougar left fielder to run the score to 6-0.
Houston broke up Schmidt’s no-hitter in the top of the fourth inning, when Jeanie Davis doubled to left field. The Cougars would get a single in the top of the fifth, but finish with no more.
The Tigers added their final two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Camille Harris led off with a walk. She then stole second. With two outs, Wiese nailed her second RBI double of the game, scoring Harris from second. Wiese then scored on a single by Lynam to give LSU the 8-0 advantage.
Schmidt earned her fourth complete-game shutout of the season to run her record to 8-4. She allowed two hits and one walk while striking out seven.
Jenny Johnson got the loss for Houston to fall to 2-4 on the year. She allowed three runs on one hit with two walks in a third of an inning.
Crystal Briscoe came on in relief in the first and allowed three runs on five hits with one strikeout in one and a third innings. Jamie Falco closed it out for the Cougars, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk in two and a third innings.
In LSU’s bracket game, Jackson State struck early with a run in the top of the first inning. Crystal Allen led off with a walk. After back-to-back bloop infield singles by Bekira Thomas and Makida Zackery loaded the bases, Lynam hit Tunisha Ford to send Allen in from third. Lynam then struck out Heather Shove and Loryn Kimbraugh and got Courtney Young to line out to right field to end the inning.
The Tigers took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Lynam was hit by a pitch to start the inning. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Owen hit a ball back to the pitcher, who threw the ball away, allowing Lynam to score and Owen to advance to third. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Smith to put LSU ahead 2-1.
With LSU still clinging to a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers erupted for seven runs to defeat Jackson State. Wiese led off with a walk. Lynam then doubled to right center field, scoring Wiese from first.
Owen and Smith then walked to load the bases.
A sacrifice fly by Lauren Delahoussaye scored Lynam from third and sent Owen to third and Smith to second. Megann Steege then singled to left field and advanced to second, scoring Owen and sending Smith to third for the 5-1 lead.
On a squeeze bunt by Hughes, Smith scored and Steege advanced to third. A Sara Fitzgerald single up the middle scored Steege. The game ended on the first career home run by Danos, a two-run shot. Danos drove a 2-0 itch over the left field fence against the wind, giving LSU the eight-run rule victory.
Lynam earned the win to improve to 8-1 on the season. She allowed one run on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts. Valea Crowder got the loss for Jackson State to fall to 2-4 on the year. She allowed nine runs, only seven of which were earned, on seven hits with five walks.
LSU will play Southeastern Louisiana in a non-conference game on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Tiger Park before opening Southeastern Conference action on Saturday against Tennessee with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. The three-game series will conclude with a single game on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.
“We have told the team that all eyes are going to be focused on the Tigers starting next week and that is the way we want it,” said Girouard.
HOUSTON 5, SOUTHERN MISS 2 — Houston scored a run in each of the first five innings to take a 5-2 decision over Southern Miss in the first bracket game at the Purple & Gold Challenge on Sunday morning at Tiger Park.
The Cougars (10-9) advance to take on the winner of the LSU-Jackson State in the tournament championship game at 2 p.m. Southern Miss falls to 7-9 overall and concludes the tournament with a 2-3 record.
Houston jumped the board with a run in the first. Leadoff hitter Jaci Gonzalez walked and advanced to third on a two-base throwing error by the third baseman, which allowed Kim Nesloney to advance to second. A single by
Jeanie Davis scored Gonzalez from third for the 1-0 lead.
Southern Miss responded with two runs in the top of the second inning.
Ashley Davis led off with a double to right center field. After Kim Bishop came in to run for Davis, Heather Bell singled up the middle and advanced to second on the throw, allowing Bishop to score from second.
A sacrifice bunt by Laura Smith moved Bell to third. On a squeeze bunt attempt by Jessica Huerta, Bell scored from third and Huerta reached on an error by the Cougar second baseman to put Southern Miss ahead 2-1.
Houston came back to tie the game in the bottom of the second inning. With one out, Michelle Keith tripled to right field. She then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooke Johnson.
The Cougars added a run in the bottom of the third as Davis led off with a walk. Kristen Glowacz sacrificed Davis to second. With two outs, Davis scored on a fielding error by the Lady Eagle right fielder, who dropped a fly ball.
Johnson led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run down the right field line. In the bottom of the fifth, Aurelis Ferreris nailed a solo home run to deep centerfield to run the score to 5-2.
Jenny Johnson picked up the win for Houston to run her season record to 2-3.
She allowed two runs on four hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.
Danielle Wymer got the loss for Southern Miss to fall to 3-4. She allowed four runs, only two of which were earned, on four hits with four walks in four innings. Danielle Hatfield came on in relief in the fifth inning and allowed one run on two hits in two innings.
PURPLE & GOLD CHALLENGE ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Leigh Ann Danos, LSU
Jeanie Davis, Houston
Tammy Edwards, Southern Miss
Jamie Falco, Houston
LaDonia Hughes, LSU
Auriel Jenkins, Southern Miss
Tessa Lynam, LSU
Alicia Owen, LSU
MVP–Kristin Schmidt, LSU