BATON ROUGE — The 14th-ranked LSU softball team split a pair of games in the second day of the Tiger Classic, falling to No. 4 Oklahoma, 6-4, before bouncing back to defeat Southeastern Louisiana, 11-3, on Saturday at Tiger Park.
With the split, the Tigers moved to 3-1 on the season. As the second seed in the tournament, they will take on third-seeded Illinois on Sunday at 10 a.m. LSU defeated the Fighting Illini in the first meeting, 7-3, on Friday afternoon. Oklahoma completed pool play without a loss at 4-0. Southeastern went winless in the tournament and concluded play at 0-4.
“I am very pleased with the way we hit the ball in the second game,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “Lauren Castle has really come through for us at the plate. We still have a few bats that have not yet come alive like we would want them to, but overall we had an outstanding game offensively.”
In four tournament games, Castle is 6-for-11 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored for a .545 batting average. Stephanie Hill leads the team with a .571 average, going 4-for-7 with a double, a home run, two RBIs and a run scored.
Emily Turner earned the win for LSU against Southeastern to improve to 2-0 on the season. She allowed three runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in seven innings.
LSU opened up with a run in the top of the first inning. Leslie Klein led off with a double to center field. She advanced to third on an illegal pitch and scored on an RBI single by Julie Wiese for the 1-0 Tiger lead.
The Tigers added three more in the third inning. Lauren Castle led off with a bunt single. She advanced to second on a ground out by Klein. A single by LaDonia Hughes scored Castle as Hughes moved to second on the throw. With two outs, Lauren Delahoussaye singled to left field to drive in Hughes. She then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A double to center field by Stephanie Hill scored Delahoussaye for the 4-0 LSU advantage.
In the top of the fourth, the Tigers added another run. Sara Fitzgerald led off with a triple to left center to begin the inning. She then scored on a sacrifice fly by Camille Harris to extend the lead to 5-0.
With one out in the fifth inning, Delahoussaye singled to left center. She then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hill then walked to put runners on first and second. After Lauren Uhle came on to pinch run for Hill, Kristen Hobbs singled off the shortstop, allowing Delahoussaye to score. On a throwing error by the catcher, Uhle and Hobbs came in to score on the play to run the score to 8-0.
Southeastern came back with three in the bottom half of the innings. The Lady Lions led off with back-to-back singles to start the innings. After a fielder’s choice got the runner at second, Lisa Chapman grounded out to put runners at second and third. A double by Karin Smith scored two to cut the lead to 8-2. Rebecca de la Garza singled to right field to drive in Smith for the 8-3 score.
LSU got one back in the top of the sixth inning. Hughes led off with a single up the middle. She then stole second. On an infield single by Julie Wiese, she moved to third. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Delahoussaye as the Tigers improved their lead to 9-3.
Harris led off the seventh with a double to left center. With one out, Klein recorded an infield single as Harris advanced to third. Klein then stole second to put runners at second and third. Hughes then singled and advanced to second on the throw as Harris scored and Klein moved to third. A sacrifice fly by Wiese scored Harris to push the LSU lead to 11-3.
Summer Delaneuville took the loss for the Lady Lions. She allowed four runs on six hits with four strikeouts in three innings. Emily Stelly came on in relief to throw an inning and a third. She allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits with a walk. Rachel Ray closed it out. She allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings.In the Tigers’ first game of the day, Nicole Denes earned the win for Oklahoma to improve to 2-0 on the year. She allowed four runs on eight hits with four walks in five and a third innings. Oklahoma jumped out early with two runs in the first inning. With one out Kristin Vesely singled to left field. On a fielder’s choice by Christina Enea, Vesely advanced to second and moved to third on an error by the shortstop. A double down the left field line by Jessica Leslie scored two runs and put the Sooners ahead.
Oklahoma added one in the top of the second inning. With two outs, April Valdez recorded an infield single. After she stole second, she moved to third on a single by Norrelle Dickson. An RBI single by Vesely ran the Sooner’s lead to 3-0.
With one outs, Turner singled up the middle. A double by Fitzgerald scored Turner from first to cut the score to 3-1.
Oklahoma came back with three runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, Jessica Leslie singled through the right side and stole second. With two outs, Jamie Fox doubled to left field, scoring Leslie from second. A walk to Mariee Mena and a single by Valdez loaded the bases. Divkson singled up the middle to score Mena and Fox to run the score to 6-1.
The Tigers got one back in the bottom of the inning on a leadoff home run by Klein as LSU got back into the game, 6-2.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers added another run. Castle recorded a bunt single to lead off the inning. She moved to second on a sacrifice bun. A groundout advanced Castle to third before she scored on a single by Wiese.
LSU’s best chance came in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Hill singled up the middle. After Uhle came in to pinch run for Hill, Leigh Ann Danos singled to right field and moved Uhle to second. Hobbs came in to run for Danos before a walk to Fitzgerald loaded the bases and bring the tying run to the plate.
Castle drew a second walk to send in a run. With the tying run on second, Klein hit a ball to shallow center field that was caught. However, Hobbs was thrown out trying to go back to third base to end the Tiger threat.
Kristin Schmidt got the loss for LSU to fall to 1-1 on the season. She allowed six runs, four earned, on 12 hits with three walks and three strikeouts in seven innings.
Oklahoma 213 000 00 – 6 12 0
LSU 011 011 0x – 4 8 2
Denes, Johnson and Scaglione. Schmidt and Hobbs, Danos. W – Denes (2-0). L – Schmidt (1-0). HR – Klein. A – 613.
LSU 103 131 2 – 11 17 0
Southeastern Louisiana 000 030 0 – 3 8 1
Turner and Danos, Hobbs. Delaneuville, Stelly, Ray and Smith. W – Turner (2-0). L – Delaneuville (0-2). Day’s Att. – 1001.
2004 Tiger Classic — Day Two
Illinois 4, Southeastern Louisiana 0
Box Score
Illinois used two runs in the third and two in the fifth to defeat Southeastern Louisiana, 4-0, in the first game of Saturday’s action in the Tiger Classic.
With the win, Illinois improved to 1-2 on the season. The Lady Lions remained winless, falling to 0-3 on the year and assured themselves of no better than a fourth-place . Illinois will take on Centenary at 3:30 p.m., while Southeastern will take on LSU at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Amanda Fortune got the complete-game shutout win for the Illini, allowing just three hits and a walk. She also recorded five strikeouts in the contest.
Lindsey Hamma was the big force for Illinois at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored. LeeAnn Butcher was also a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored.
The Illini got on the board in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Butcher singled to shortstop. Hamma then tripled to right center, scoring Butcher from first. A double by Rachelle Coriddi scored Hamma to run the Illinois to 2-0.
In the fifth inning, the Illini got two more runs. Elena Planinsek reached on an error by the second baseman to lead off the inning. She then advanced to second on a wild pitch. A single by Butcher moved Planinsek to third before Butcher stole second to put runners at second and third.
An infield single by Hamma then scored Planinsek and moved Butcher to third. With two outs, Jenna Hall doubled to center field to score Butcher for the 4-0 lead.
Southeastern Louisiana had only two runners in scoring position in the game and never had a runner advance to third.
Emily Stelly took the loss for the Lady Lions. She started and allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in three innings. Kelli Shipley came on in relief to throw an inning of no-hit softball. Rachel Ray closed out the game. She allowed two unearned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in two innings.
Southeastern Louisiana 000 000 0 – 0 3 1
Illinois 002 020 x – 4 8 1
Stelly, Shipley, Ray and Smith. Fortune and Sartini. W – Fortune (1-0). L – Stelly (0-1). A – 73.
Oklahoma 8, Centenary 0
Box Score
Oklahoma scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to earn the 8-0 victory over Centenary in five innings in the seventh game of the Tiger Classic.
With the win, Oklahoma improved to 3-0 on the season. Centenary dropped to 1-2 on the year with the loss.
Jessica Johnson earned the complete game shutout win to improve 1-0 on the year. She allowed five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in five innings.
The Sooners got on the board with two in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Kristin Vesely drew a walk. With two outs, Vesely stole second. Heather Scaglione then hit a home run off the left field foul pole.
In the bottom of the third inning, April Valdez led off with a walk. She advanced to second on a passed ball. A single up the middle by Norrelle Dickson scored Valdez as Dickson moved to second. She stole third and scored on an error by the catcher for the 4-0 lead.
With one more run in the third on a home run by Jamie Fox, Oklahoma took the 5-0 lead into the fifth inning. The Sooners then earned the run-rule win in the fifth with three runs.
Dickson lead off with a walk before Vesely singled to put runners on first and second. With on outs, Scaglione walked to load the bases. Jessica Leslie was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run. A ground out by Fox scored the second run. An error by the catcher on a throw down to third scored the winning run.
Cathy Byrne took the loss for Centenary to fall to 0-1 on the year. She allowed eight runs, six earned, on four hits with five walks and four strikeouts in four and a third innings. Janies Kelley came on in relief in the fifth and got one out before the winning run scored.
Centenary 000 00 – 0 5 2
Oklahoma 202 13 – 8 4 0
Byrne, Kelley and Kowaleski. Johnson and Scaglione. W – Johnson (1-0). L – Byrne (0-1). HR – Scaglione, Fox. A – 105.
Illinois 13, Centenary 0
Box Score
A three-hit shutout by Sherri Taylor and a 3-for-4 performance by Erin Montgomery led Illinois to a 13-0 win over Centenary in five innings in game nine of the Tiger Classic on Saturday.
With the win, Illinois improved to 2-2 on the year and took the third seed in the tournament. Centenary dropped to 1-3 on the year and is the fourth seed in the tournament. Illinois will take on second-seeded LSU on Sunday at 10 a.m., while the Ladies will take on top-seeded Oklahoma at noon.
Taylor earned the victory for the Illini, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out 11 in five innings. She improved to 1-1 on the season.
Illinois got on the board in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Erin Jones drew a walk. She advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by Janna Sartini.
In the third inning the Illini added three runs. With one out, Lindsey Hamma singled to left center. Rachelle Coriddi then recorded an infield single as Hamma moved to second. With two outs, Montgomery launched one over the left field fence to put Illinois ahead 4-0.
The Illini got five more in the top of the fourth. With one out, Sartini reached on an error by the second baseman. She stole second. With two outs, Molly Lawhead reached on an error by the third baseman and advanced to third as Sartini scored.
Hamma then drew a walk. On a wild pitch, Lawhead scored and Hamma moved to second. After a walk by Coriddi, a double by Hall scored both Hamma and Coriddi. Montgomery singled to move Hall to third. Both them came in to score on a single by Sarah Baumgartner to end the scoring in the inning.
Illinois closed out the scoring with four in the top of the fifth inning. Three consecutive singles led off the inning before a three-RBI triple by Katie O’Connell cleared the bases. Montgomery singled through the left side to score O’Connell and run the score to the 13-0 final.
Cheyenne Daries took the loss for Centenary. She started and allowed six runs, three earned, on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in three and two thirds innings. Janis Kelley came on in relief. She allowed three unearned runs on two hits with two walks without recording an out. Casi Hendricks closed out the game and allowed four runs on six hits with two strikeouts in an inning and a third.
Illinois 013 54 – 13 12 0
Centenary 000 00 – 0 3 2
Taylor and Sartini, Balicki. Daries, Kelley, Hendricks and Hall. W – Taylor (1-1). L – Daries (1-2). HR – Montgomery. A – 145.