PLANT CITY, Fla. — Playing their fourth game in less than 24 hours, the 12th-ranked LSU softball team could not hold off a Alabama as the 16th-ranked Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers, 3-1, in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game.
The loss ended LSU’s (49-16) bid for a third-consecutive conference tournament title after winning back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002.
Alabama won its first league tournament title for the first time since 1998 and improved to 45-19 on the season.
The Tigers now await their selection to the NCAA Tournament. The selection show will aire on ESPNEWS Sunday night at 9 p.m. CT.
Despite the loss that dropped her to 33-13 on the season, Schmidt earned Most Valuable Player honors. After throwing 14 innings over the two games, Schmidt started and threw four and a third innings in the championship game. She allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts.
Schmidt threw 33 and two-thirds innings in the tournament and posted a 3-2 record. She allowed seven runs, six earned on 22 hits with 32 strikeouts.
Christy Connor was also named to the all-tournament team at first base for the Tigers. She went 4-for-13 for the tournament with a home run and four RBIs.
LSU took the early 1-0 lead on a solo home run by Tessa Lynam in the second inning. The Crimson Tide came back to score one in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to rally for the win.
Lynam came on to pitch in the fifth and threw the final inning and two-thirds. She was perfect with three strikeouts in relief.
With two outs in the top of the second inning, Tessa Lynam broke the scoreless tie with a line shot home run over the Ole Miss sign in left centerfield. The solo shot, her ninth of the season, gave the Tigers the 1-0 lead.
Alabama came back to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning.
Dominique Accetturo doubled to left field to lead off the inning. With one out, Ashley Courtney hit a little pop up to the infield that Tiger catcher Jennie Reeves called for. As Reeves went to make the catch, Julie Wiese came in from third and collided with Reeves, causing her to drop the ball. The ball then skidded away from Reeves, allowing Leah White, pinch running for Accetturo, to score and Courtney to advance to third.
Wiese then made a diving catch in foul territory for the second out before Sara Fitzgerald snagged a hard hit ground ball by Jackie McClain to throw her out at first to end the inning.
Stephanie VanBrakle led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a home run down the left field line to put Alabama ahead 2-1.
With one out in the home half of the fifth inning, Courtney beat out the play at first for an infield single. Jackie Wilkins then singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. On a hard hit ball up the middle by Jackie McClain, the ball deflected off of Fitzgerald’s glove and into left field for a double for McClain, allowing Courtney to score to extend the Crimson Tide lead to 3-1.
2003 SEC All-Tournament Team
C – Kristen Butler – Florida
1B – Christy Conner – LSU
2B – Dominique Accetturo – Alabama
3B – Kristi Durant – Tennessee
SS – Ashley Godfrey – Georgia
OF – Jennifer Nelson – Mississippi State
OF – Jodi Fittro – South Carolina
OF – Sarah Fekete – Tennessee
DP/UTL – Stephanie VanBrakle – Alabama
P – Jenny Gladding – Florida
Tournament MVP
P – Kristin Schmidt – LSU