AUSTIN, Texas — Four runs in the bottom of the third were all Arizona State would need as the Sun Devils eliminated the LSU softball team from the NCAA Tournament, 4-1, Friday night at McCombs Field.
The Tigers conclude the 2003 season at 50-18, posting a 50-win season for the sixth consecutive year. Arizona State moves to 32-24 and advances to take on Hawaii on Saturday at 1 p.m.
“We didn’t finish strong today, but I thought the end of the season, the last month, we played really well,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard.
The Sun Devils used three hits and an error to score four runs, two earned, in the bottom of the third inning and held on for the victory. The Tigers had the tying run at the plate in the in the top of the sixth, but a fly ball to left field fell short of the fence to end the inning.
“We really have no excuses, we just didn’t play well,” said Girouard. “They made it happen and we didn’t. As well as we played last weekend (in the SEC Tournament), is about as bad as we played today.”
Kristin Schmidt took the loss for LSU to drop to 34-15 on the season. The junior from Houston allowed four runs, two earned, on four hits with two walks and a strikeout in two and a third innings.
Tessa Lynam came on in relief in the third to throw three and two-thirds innings of shutout ball. She allowed two hits with a strikeout.
Arizona State got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning. Jen McCard led off with a double to left center for the Sun Devils. A single by Valerie Sevilla moved McCard to third before an infield single by Kristin Farber scored McCard for the 1-0 advantage.
A fielder’s choice by Jennifer Forner got Farber at second and moved Sevilla to third. Kara Brun then drew a walk to load the bases. On the next play, Phelan Wright reached on a fielder’s choice as shortstop Blair Smith attempted to throw out Sevilla at home. The throw to the plate was high, allowing both Sevilla and Forner to score on the error.
After Lynam came on in relief of Schmidt in the circle, she got Carla Strege to ground out to Smith at shortstop as Brun scored on the play. A foul out to left field ended the inning with Arizona State leading 4-0.
The Tigers broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Jennie Reeves reached on an error by Brun at shortstop to lead off the inning. She then
stole second, moving her into scoring position. With one out, Sara Fitzgerald singled to right field, advancing Reeves to second. A single to left center by Christy Connor scored Reeves to cur the Sun Devil lead to 4-1.
With runners on first and second and two outs, Lynam hit a deep fly ball to left field that would have been a home run during yesterday’s action and tied the game. However, the wind had shifted just prior to her at-bat and was blowing strongly into the field, forcing the ball to hang up in the air and drop as a harmless fly out to the left fielder.
Ashley Werschky got the win to improve to 10-6 on the season. She allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts in five and a third innings.
Desiree Serrano came on in relief to throw an inning and two-thirds. She did not allow a baserunner with two strikeouts.