COLUMBIA, S.C. — The eighth-ranked LSU softball team split a Southeastern Conference doubleheader with No. 14 South Carolina on Sunday, falling 3-2 in 10 innings in the first game and winning 6-3 in the second game that was shortened to six innings due to LSU’s travel plans.
The Tigers move to 20-7 overall and 3-2 in the SEC, while South Carolina moves to 19-7 overall and 3-2 in the SEC.
“It was a disappointing loss for us in the first game,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “Give credit to Tessa Lynam for coming out and pitching a great game in the second to come away with the win. I was also happy with the way our bats came alive for us to salvage the series.”
Tessa Lynam earned the complete-game win to improve to 9-1 in the second game. She allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits with three strikeouts.
The Tigers jumped out to the 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Julie Wiese was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Alicia Owen then singled to left field to advance Wiese to second. After Blair Smith reached on a fielding error by the shortstop to load the bases, Leigh Ann Danos doubled to score Wiese and Owen. With runners on second and third, Camille Harris singled up the middle, scoring Smith for the 3-0 LSU lead.
The Tigers extended the lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning. Lynam led off with a single down the left field line. Wiese then singled up the middle. With one out, Smith hit her first career home run, a three-run shot to left field that gave LSU the 6-0 advantage.
South Carolina ended the shutout attempt in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Tia Rogers hit a solo home run to left centerfield to cut the Tiger lead to 6-1.
In game one, the game was scoreless until the 10th inning when LSU took the 2-0 lead on a two-RBI single by Lynam. Jennie Reeves was placed on second to start the inning as part of the international tie breaker rule. After a walk to LaDonia Hughes, an infield groundout by Christy Connor moved Reeves and Reeves to second and third. Lynam then singled to left field to drive in two runs and give the Tigers the lead.
In the bottom of the inning, however, South Carolina capitalized on an LSU error to score three unearned runs for the win. Kim Evans began the inning on second. Amber Curtis reached on a fielding error by Alicia Owen at second that allowed Evans to advance to third. A sacrifice bunt by Jodi Fittro put runners on second and third before a single by Debralee Troesh drove in Evans and Fittro to tie the game.
An infield groundout by Danielle Quinones put Troesh on second with two outs. The Tigers then intentionally walked Ashley Smith to put runners on first and second before a single by Tia Rogers scored Troesh from second for the game winner.
For the game, the Tigers left five runners in scoring position as part of the 10 runners left on base in the game. Three times, LSU left runners on third base, including leaving runners on second and third in the sixth inning. South Carolina left seven runners in scoring position, including three on third, as part of its 11 left on base.
Kristin Schmidt went the distance in the loss for LSU, falling to 11-6 on the season. She allowed three unearned runs on eight hits with four walks and 10 strikeouts in nine and two-thirds innings. Stacey Johnson got the complete-game win for the Gamecocks to improve to 8-4. She allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits with six walks and seven strikeouts.