LAS VEGAS — The 14th-ranked LSU softball team run-ruled Portland State, 10-2, and Wisconsin, 10-1, on Friday afternoon in the first day of the UNLV Softball Classic.
With the pair of five-inning victories, the Tigers improved to 5-2 on the season. In the season openers for both schools, both Portland State and Wisconsin fell to 0-1.
In the two games, LSU scored an impressive 20 runs, while pounding out 21 hits. Sara Fitzgerald led the Tigers with a 5-for-6 performance on the day with two doubles, a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. LaDonia Hughes also had an impressive day, going 4-for-5 with and RBI and four runs scored.
“I really like the way we were prepared today,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We swang the bat pretty well. Our lineup, 1-9, is as solid as any I have had since I have been here at LSU.
In the first game, Stephanie Hill led the way for LSU with a 3-for-3 performance, including a double and a home run with four RBIs.
Emily Turner fought her way out of trouble in the top of first inning. With one out, Turner issued a walk and allowed a base hit to put runners on first and second. With two outs, Turner walked the bases loaded, but she struck out Erin Stokey looking to end the inning and the threat.
The Tigers got on the board in the bottom of the first. With one out, Hughes drew a walk on an illegal pitch. After a walk by Julie Wiese, the pair moved to second and third on an infield ground out by Lauren Delahoussaye. A second illegal pitch of the inning sent Hughes home and Wiese to third before a wild pitch scored Wiese for the 2-0 LSU lead.
An infield single by Hughes started the onslaught for the Tigers in the bottom of the third inning. After stealing second she advanced to third as Wiese reached on a muffed catch by the first baseman. A ground out by Delahoussaye put Wiese on second before a double by Hill scored Hughes and Wiese. Lauren Uhle came in to pinch run for Hill at second. She advanced to second as Kristen Hobbs reached on a throwing error by the shortstop.
As Hobbs stole second, Uhle scored on a throwing error by the catcher, Fitzgerald then knocked her second double of the day down the left field line to score Hobbs as LSU stretched its lead to 6-1.
The Vikings got one back in the top of the fourth. Annie Peccia led off with a single up the middle. After Turner hit Alayana Peterson, the runners moved to second and third on a sacrifice bunt. A walk to Tiffany McHenry loaded the bases. An RBI infield groundout by Melissa Gibson scored Peccia from third to cut the LSU lead to 6-2. Hughes then made a running catch in center field to end the inning.
With one out in the bottom of the inning, Delahoussaye drew a walk. Hill then went the opposite way with a two-run home run down the right field line. Fitzgerald then hit a triple down the right field line and scored on an error by the right fielder as the Tigers took a 9-2 lead into the fifth inning.
Leslie Klein led off the fifth with a four-pitch walk. On a hit and run, Hughes recorded an infield single as Klein moved to second. A single up the middle by Wiese scored Klein for the game winner.
Turner got the complete-game win for the Tigers, improving to 3-1 on the season. She allowed two runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Michelle Hext took the loss for Portland State. She allowed six runs, three earned, on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two and a third innings. Vanessa Holm came on in relief and allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in and inning and two-thirds.
Kristin Schmidt got the complete-game win for the Tigers against Wisconsin. She allowed one run on four hits with 10 strikeouts in five innings. It was Schmidt’s second double-figure strikeout game of the season.
The Tigers struck first in the second game. In the top of the second inning, Delahoussaye singled down the right field line. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by Leigh Ann Danos. Delahoussaye scored on a single up the middle by Fitzgerald as she advanced to third on an error by the center fielder. Fitzgerald the scored as Lauren Castle singled up the middle for the 2-0 LSU lead.
Wisconsin got one back in the bottom of the inning as Diana Consolmagno hit a leadoff home run to left centerfield.
In the top of the third, the Tigers got two more runs. Hughes led off with a bunt single. Wiese then drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Hill sent Hughes and Wiese to second and third. Both scored on a single to left field by Delahoussaye, but she was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.
After a walk to Danos, Fitzgerald singled to left field and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. Danos moved to third on the play. Camille Harris then nailed her second home run of the season to straight away center field to stretch the LSU lead to 7-1.
Castle then beat out an infield single before Klein drew a walk. Hughes singled up the middle, scoring Castle from second. On an error by the center fielder, Klein scored from first and Hughes moved to third. After a walk to Wiese, Hill nailed a single off the right field fence, scoring Hill from third and ending the Tiger onslaught with LSU leading 10-1.
Katie Layne took the loss for Wisconsin to drop to 0-1 on the season. She allowed 10 runs, nine earned, on 10 hits with four walks and two strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings. Megan Smith came on in relief and allowed just one hit and two walks with a strikeout in two and a third innings.
The Tigers will take on No. 2 California on Saturday at 1 p.m. (CST). LSU will then conclude tournament play against Utah at 3:30 p.m. (CST).
“Today was a good day, but tomorrow it is going to get tougher,” said Girouard.