BATON ROUGE — With the win in game one of the doubleheader, LSU head coach Yvette Girouard recorded her 900th career win as the 11th-ranked Tigers split a doubleheader with No. 16 Alabama, winning the first game, 4-3 before falling in the second game, 7-2.
The winningest coach in LSU softball history, Girouard is one of only nine coaches in any division in NCAA history to reach that milestone. She is also one of only six active NCAA Division I coaches with 900 career wins.
“It’s a corny saying, but it’s true, you don’t do this without great players, without great assistants and great parents,” Girouard said about her 900th win. “It wasn’t about me, it’s just the longevity of a career. I am very lucky.”
With the split, the Tigers moved to 26-11 overall and 7-6 in the Southeastern Conference. Alabama, which snapped a nine-game losing streak to LSU at Tiger Park with the win in game two, moved to 26-12 overall and 9-2 in SEC play.
“There’s no question we’re struggling pitching wise right now and we are trying to find the answers and we will,” said Girouard. “The key for us right now is that we have to score runs because we are having to match everybody.
“What’s disappointing is that we don’t carry success from one at-bat to the next and we are trying to figure that out. There is no primetime hitting. That is something we work on at practice everyday. We are way too passive at the plate. We’re at that point right now where we have to score runs to win.”
LSU broke the scoreless tie with three unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. LaDonia Hughes reached on a two-base error by the Tide third baseman to lead off the inning. She then scored on a single to left centerfield by Sara Fitzgerald.
With two outs, Leigh Ann Danos doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Christy Connor then went the opposite way with a double down the right field line to score Fitzgerald and Danos.
Alabama got one back in the top of the fourth inning. Three consecutive singles by Lacy Prejean, Jennifer Reach and Staci Ramsey loaded the bases with no outs. With one out, Angela Johnson hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score the first Crimson Tide run.
After a leadoff walk by Julie Wiese in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Tigers, she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. A bunt single by Hughes moved Wiese to third. Fitzgerald was then hits by a pitch to load the bases. On a fielder’s choice by Camille Harris, Wiese scored for the 4-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, Ashley Courtney led off with a single to left field for Alabama. She then scored on a double to left center by Jackie McClain to cut the LSU lead to 4-2.
The Crimson Tide mounted a comeback attempt in the top of the seventh.
McClain walked to lead off the inning. Stephanie VanBrankle single through the right side before Lacy Prejean was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. A single to centerfield by Reach scored Deasy Phillips, pinch running for McClain.
The Tigers got Ramsey to ground into a fielder’s choice as Emily Currie, pinch running for VanBrankle, was thrown out at home for the first out.
Accetturo then struck out before Johnson lined out to Wiese at third to end the game.
Kristin Schmidt got the complete-game win for LSU to improve to 15-9 on the season. She allowed three runs on eight hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Erin Wright took the loss for Alabama to fall to 12-5 on the year. In four innings she allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Jennifer Wright finished the game, throwing two innings of perfect softball.
“In the first game, when Kristin had to make some good pitches, she did, but she keeps getting herself in a little bit of trouble,” said Girouard. “She came up with some good pitches, but she is not pitching like she can pitch. She is having to carry the load.”
Alabama jumped on the board early in the second game. With one out, Ashley Courtney nailed a home run over the right field foul pole for the solo home run. With two outs, VanBrankle doubled to left centerfield. She then scored on a bloop single down the right field line by Prejean.
The Crimson Tide got its second home run of the game in the top of the third inning. Wilkins hit a home run to left field that just cleared the outfield fence for the 3-0 Alabama lead.
“We have to keep the ball in the ballpark,” said Girouard.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Girouard was ejected after arguing a call with the home plate umpire. Tessa Lynam then broke up the perfect game by Jennifer Wright with a towering home run to right field.
The Tigers got another run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Wiese led off with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout by Blair Smith. With two outs, back-to-back walks to Fitzgerald and Hughes loaded the bases. Wiese scored on a wild pitch by VanBrankle, who relieved Jennifer Wright earlier in the inning.
LSU had a chance in both the fifth and sixth with the go-ahead run at the plate in both innings. The Tigers stranded runners on second and third in the fifth and on first and second in the sixth.
Alabama got three runs in the top of the seventh innings. With two outs, Courtney singled to right field. A single by McClain to centerfield put runners on first and second. Lynam then walked VanBrankle to load the bases.
Prejean then singled to left field to score Courtney from third before Reach reached on an error by Smith at shortstop allowing McClain and Phillips, pinch running for VanBrankle, to score for the 7-2 lead. Reach was thrown out on the play trying to take second.
Lynam got the loss, just her second on the season, to drop to 11-2 on the season. She allowed seven runs, five earned, on 10 hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Jennifer Wright got the win to improve to 7-3 on the season. She allowed two runs on one hit with three walks and four strikeouts. VanBrankle got her first save of the season, allowing four walks with four strikeouts.
The pair will conclude the three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Network in Baton Rouge on WJNH-Jam’n 107.3 FM or on the internet at www.LSUsports.net. Cox Sports Television will also film the game. It will air Monday at 8 p.m. on cable channel 38.
“We can’t let this thing get away from us and we certainly don’t want to let Alabama take this series from us.”