COLUMBUS, Ga. — The 10th-ranked LSU softball team split a pair of games on the first day of the NFCA Leadoff Classic, defeating Texas State, 3-2 in eight innings, before falling to Seton Hall, 9-0, at South Commons Stadium on Friday afternoon.
With the split, the Tigers moved to 8-2 on the season and 1-1 in the tournament, while Texas State went to 5-11 overall and Seton Hall improved to 3-3 on the year. LSU will close out pool play against nationally ranked Fresno State on Saturday at 9 a.m. (CT) before beginning bracket play on Saturday afternoon at either 3:30 p.m. (CT) or 6 p.m. (CT).
After falling behind 0-2 against Texas State, the Tigers came back to tie the game in the sixth inning before scoring the game-winning run in the top of the eighth. Against Seton Hall, LSU could never get its offense going, despite hitting the ball hard on several occasions, while the Pirates took advantage of several mistakes by the Tigers to earn the win.
“I was really proud of the way we fought back in the first game,” said head coach Yvette Girouard, “but we never really got off the bus this morning. We showed a lot of character in game one to come back, but we just went through the motions in the second game. It was uncharacteristic of our team. We didn’t seem to have it all day, but tomorrow is a different day. We will have to learn from today because we will face a tough Fresno State team tomorrow.”
The day marked the return of All-American Leslie Klein. The sophomore outfielder had been sidelined since September after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament. Klein returned as a pinch hitter against Texas State before starting game two as the designated player, and finished the day 2-for-3.
In the first game against Texas State, sophomore Emily Turner threw a complete-game two-hitter for the Tigers. Improving to 4-0 on the season, the Chula Vista, Calif., native allowed two runs, one earned, with a walk and three strikeouts.
“I thought there were several good things that came out of today,” said Girouard. “Emily did not have her best stuff, but found a way to win. Klein also came in to pinch hit and goes 2-for-3. It was good to see her back on the field.”
With a scoreless tie through three innings, Texas State broke up the perfect game by Turner in the bottom of the fourth innings. Amy Hromadka led off with a bunt single. She moved to second on an infield single by Amy Krueger.
With runners on first and second, Kristin Gunter attempted to sacrifice bunt. On the play, third baseman Lauren Delahoussaye made a play on Hromadka going to third and threw the ball into left field, allowing Hromadka to score, Krueger to move to third as Gunter advanced to second. A sacrifice fly by Katie Ann Trahan scored Krueger to give the Bobcats the 2-0 lead.
The Tigers got one back in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs, Kristin Hobbs drew a walk. After Lauren Uhle came in to run for Hobbs, Camille Harris recorded a bunt single to send Uhle to second. A double to left field by Quinlan Duhon scored Uhle from second to cut the lead to 2-1.
LSU tied the game in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Vanessa Soto knocked a solo home run to right field, her fourth homer of the season.
As the game went to extra innings, the Tigers began the eighth inning with Andrea Smith on second. With one out Duhon hit a slow roller to the pitcher, but the throw to first got away from the first baseman, allowing Smith to score from second for what proved to be the game winner.
Trahan took the loss for Texas State to fall to 5-8 on the season. In the complete-game, she allowed three runs, two earned, on seven hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Against Seton Hall, the Pirates got on the board in the top of the first inning. Katie Pierce led off with a bunt single. As she stole second, the throw got away from Andrea Smith at second and went out into right field, allowing Pierce to score.
In the top of the second, Seton Hall added a second run. With one out, Danielle Steinseifzer reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on the play. She moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Katie Pierce.
The Pirates added three runs in the top of the fourth inning. With one out, Kate DePaul reached on a fielder’s choice. A single by Steinseifzer sent DePaul to second. After Emalee Heim came in to run for DePaul at second, Akoua Lonergan drew a walk to load the bases. A single through the left side by Pierce scored Heim and a sacrifice fly by Jessica Schulien scored Steinseifzer. With runners on first and third, Lonergan scored as Pierce was caught stealing in a rundown between first and second to end the inning.
Two more runs by Seton Hall in the top of the fifth sent the score to 7-0. With two outs and the bases loaded, Steinseifzer was hit by a pitch to score Christa Leighton from third. A walk by Lonergan scored Best from third.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, a single to right center by Klein broke up the perfect game by Megan Meyer. Despite hitting the ball hard all game long, the Tigers had failed to record a hit prior to the fifth inning after several outstanding defensive plays by the Pirates.
Seton Hall closed out the scoring in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Djakalovic singled to center field. After she stole second, DePaul walked. A double to left field by Steinseifzer scored Djakalovic and sent DePaul to third. On a throw down to third on a pick off play by Kristen Hobbs, the ball got away from Delahoussaye at third and went into left field, allowing DePaul to score and giving the Pirates the 9-0 lead.
Meyer earned the complete-game win for Seton Hall to improve to 3-3 on the season. She struck out two while allowing only one hit.
Megan Jolly started and took the loss for LSU to fall to 2-2 on the season. She allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings. Tiffany Garcia came on in relief and allowed four runs, three earned, on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in two and a third innings.
LSU 000 011 01 – 3 7 1
Texas State 000 200 00 – 2 2 2
Turner and Hobbs. Trahan and Bonetti
WP — Turner (4-0). LP — Trahan (5-8). HR — Soto
T — 2:31
Seton Hall 110 320 2 – 9 9 0
LSU 000 000 0 – 0 1 2
Meyer and Steinseifzer. Jolly, Garcia (5) and Roessner, Hobbs (5)
WP — Meyer. LP — Jolly (3-2)
T — 1:50