BATON ROUGE — Three home runs, including the game-winner by freshman Quinlan Duhon, led the ninth-ranked LSU softball team past McNeese State, 11-1, in five innings on Tuesday night at Tiger Park.
With their seventh consecutive win, the Tigers improved to 7-1 on the season. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Cowgirls as they fell to 5-10 on the year.
“We came out here with the Tiger attack mentality offensively tonight,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We came out swinging and feeling confident at the plate. I like the way Emily (Turner) pitched. I thought she was in control time. I just like the whole attitude of our team. They played like they were 10 year old again and just happy to be out there in uniform.”
Turner started and earned the win for the Tigers. The sophomore from Chula Vista, Calif., allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in four innings of work. Megan Jolly came on in relief in the fifth and allowed one hit with one strikeout to close out the game.
The Tigers were alive at the plate, pounding out 12 hits in the game. Duhon and juniors Stephanie Hill and Lauren Delahoussaye each posted home runs for LSU. In addition to her three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth that ended the game, Duhon recorded a double as she went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and two runs scored for the game. Hill finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Delahoussaye also went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
LSU broke it open with three runs in the bottom of first inning. With one out, Lauren Castle doubled to left center. Soto then singled to right center to score Castle from second. With two outs, Delahoussaye recorded her third home run of the season to left field to give the Tigers the 3-0 lead.
In the top of the third, McNeese State got on the board with one run. With one out, Tonya Edlund tripled off the center field wall. She scored on a double down the left field line by Courtney Parks to get the Cowgirls within two, 3-1.
After a single by Quinlan Duhon to lead off the bottom of the third, Dee Dee Henderson came in to pinch run and stole second. A single off the pitcher by Castle scored Henderson as Castle got caught in a rundown between first and second. Stephanie Hill then knocked her second home run of the season to left field to stretch the lead to 5-1.
The Tigers bats added three more in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Kristen Hobbs singled up the middle. After Lauren Uhle came in to run for Hobbs, she stole second. A bunt single moved Uhle to third as Harris took second on the play. A double off the left field line by Duhon scored Harris and Uhle. Duhon then moved up to third on a sacrifice by Castle and scored on a passed ball to give LSU the 8-1 led.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers ended the game early by way of the run-rule. With two outs, Hobbs drew a walk. A fielding error by the shortstop allowed Harris to reach and Hobbs to advance to second. The pair moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Duhon then recorded the longest home run for LSU of the season and she nailed a three-run home run over the left field fence to end the game.
Meghan Novak started and took the loss for McNeese State to fall to 3-4 on the season. She allowed five runs on six hits with three strikeouts in two and two-thirds innings. Jana Jones came on in relief and allowed six runs, two earned, on six hits with two walks and one strikeout in two innings.
LSU now travels to defend its championship at the prestigious NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga., this weekend. The Tigers will face Texas State at 11 a.m. (CT) and Seton Hall, a team LSU defeated in NCAA Regional play last season, at 1:30 p.m. (CT). LSU will close out pool play against nationally ranked Fresno State at 9 a.m. (CT) on Saturday before advancing to bracket play.
McNeese State 010 00 – 1 4 1
LSU 302 33 – 11 12 0
Novak, Jones (3) and Parks. Turner, Jolly (5) and Hobbs, Roessner (5).
WP — Turner (3-0). LP — Novak (3-4).
HR — Duhon, Hill, Delahoussaye. T — 1:38. A — 541.