BATON ROUGE — An RBI double by Blair Smith in the fourth inning led the No. 11 LSU softball team to a Southeastern Conference series win over 16th-ranked Alabama, winning game three, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon in Tiger Park.
With the second one-run victory in the series, the Tigers improved to 27-11 overall and 8-6 in SEC. The Crimson Tide dropped to 26-13 overall and 9-3 in the SEC.
“We just trying to keep emphasizing the fact that we may have lost some SEC games, but when it comes to the Tide and the Tigers we seem to play pretty dang good all the time,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard.
With the game tied at one in the bottom of the fourth inning, LSU connected on back-to-back doubles by Julie Wiese and Smith to score the game-winning run. In the top of the sixth, Megann Steege threw out the tying run at the plate. Alabama had the tying run on second with one out in the top of the seventh, before Kristin Schmidt got a fly out to right field and a strikeout to end the game.
Schmidt went the entire way for the Tigers in the win to improve to 16-9 on the season. She allowed one run on six hits with five strikeouts, facing just five over the minimum.
“She looked more like Kristin Schmidt,” Girouard said. “She looked like more of herself. She was totally in control, her pitches were working and she kept them off balance. That is what she does well.”
Jennifer Wright took the loss for Alabama in relief. She went three innings, allowing one run on four hits with four strikeouts. Stephanie VanBrankle started the game, throwing two innings and allowing one run on one hit with four walks and two strikeouts. Erin Wright closed out the game for the Crimson Tide. She allowed one hit in one inning of work.
LSU loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the first. Leigh Ann Danos drove a pitch out of the park down the left field line that curved just foul, nullifying a grand slam. After a controversial play at the plate on a fielder’s choice by Christy Connor, the Tigers got one run on a bases loaded walk by Alicia Owen. LSU could get no more, however, taking the 1-0 lead at the end of the inning.
“When things aren’t quite going your way, like the Leigh Ann grand slam,” said Girouard. “That ball is inches from being a grand. Early in the game and it’s over with.
“We just have to keep battling because things aren?t exactly going our way, and they have to know that. I told them to let me do the communicating and to go out and play.”
Alabama came back to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Ashley Courtney hit an infield single, only the second baserunner Schmidt had allowed at that point. Jackie McClain then doubled down the right field line. Courtney slid in just under the tag of Danos at home for the only Crimson Tide run.
LSU immediately retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back doubles by Julie Wiese and Blair Smith gave the Tigers the 2-1 lead.
Alabama threatened in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs and runners on first and second, Stephanie VanBrankle singled to left field.
Megann Steege fired a shot at home from left field to nail Courtney out at home trying to score from second to end the inning.
“Her defense is why Steege stays in the lineup,” said Girouard. “Her bat has kind of gone down a little bit but she is as good an outfielder as there is. She has a tremendous arm and very accurate and that is exactly why she plays.”
The Tigers return to action with a non-conference doubleheader on Wednesday against Centenary. The doubleheader will begin at 5:30 p.m. and 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.