PLANT CITY, Fla. — Two runs in the first inning was all the 12th-ranked LSU softball team would need as the Tigers fought off elimination for the third-straight game to defeat No. 24 Florida, 3-1, and advance to the SEC Tournament Championship game for the fifth-consecutive year.
With the win, LSU improved to 49-15 on the season and will take on Alabama at 12:30 p.m. CT in the championship game. Florida was eliminated from the tournament and dropped to 40-23 for the year.
Kristin Schmidt earned her fourth third victory of the tournament, turning around to throw the complete-game after picking up the win late last night.
She allowed one run on six hits with seven strikeouts to improve to 33-12 on the season.
LaDonia Hughes was hit by a pitch to lead off the home half of the first inning. After advancing to second on a passed ball, she moved to third on an infield single by Sara Fitzgerald. A deep shot down the left field line by Christy Connor scored Hughes from third, but Connor was held to a single as Fitzgerald had to hold up on first waiting to see if the ball was going to be caught and only advanced to second.
A walk to Alicia Owen loaded the bases for the Tigers. Tessa Lynam then drove a fly ball to left field that Lindsey Cameron dropped, allowing Fitzgerald to score from third for the 2-0 LSU lead. Megann Steege then struck out to end the inning, stranding three on base for the Tigers.
Florida cut the lead in half in the top of the second inning on a two-out home run by Cameron down the left field line.
In the bottom of the fifth, LSU got the run back. After a leadoff single by Jennie Reeves, Hughes sacrificed her to second. On a bloop single to centerfield by Fitzgerald, Reeves moved to third and Fitzgerald advanced to second on the throw. The Gators then intentionally walked Connor to load the bases.
Owen then blooped a single out into shallow centerfield that scored Reeves for the 3-1 LSU advantage. Florida then got back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Jenny Gladding got the loss to drop to 22-13 on the year. She allowed three runs on six hits with four walks and seven strikeouts.
2003 Southeastern Conference Tournament
Plant City Stadium
Plant City, Fla.
May 7-11, 2003
Thursday, May 8
Game 1 — (3) LSU def. (6) Tennessee, 1-0 (9)
Game 2 — (2) Alabama def. (7) Auburn, 4-0
Game 3 — (5) Florida def. (4) South Carolina, 6-2
Game 4 — (1) Georgia def. (8) Mississippi State, 3-0
Friday, May 9
Game 5 — (6) Tennessee def. (7) Auburn, 4-3 (9) (Auburn eliminated)
Game 6 — (4) South Carolina def. (8) Mississippi State, 2-1(Mississippi State eliminated)
Game 7 — (2) Alabama def. (3) LSU, 3-1
Game 8 — (5) Florida def. (1) Georgia, 1-0
Saturday, May 10
Game 9 — (6) Tennessee def. (1) Georgia, 5-3 (8) (Georgia eliminated)
Game 10 — (3) LSU def. (4) South Carolina, 5-1 (South Carolina eliminated)
Game 11 — (2) Alabama def. (6) Tennessee, 3-2 (8)(Tennessee eliminated)
Game 12 — (3) LSU def. (5) Florida, 1-0
Sunday, May 11
Game 13 (if necessary) — N/A
Game 14 (3) LSU def. (5) Florida, 3-1 (Florida eliminated)
Game 15 – (2) Alabama vs. (3) LSU (FOX SS) 12:30 p.m.