BATON ROUGE — The LSU softball team split a Southeastern Conference doubleheader against Kentucky on Saturday afternoon at Tiger Park, taking the first game, 6-1, before falling in the second game, 5-1.
With the split, the Tigers moved to 21-15 overall and 5-12 in conference action. The Wildcats went to 17-30 on the season and 3-16 in league play. The pair will close out the series with the rubber match on Sunday at noon. The game will be televised on Cox Sports Television in Baton Rouge on cable channel 38 and be carried on the LSU Sports Network in Baton Rouge on Country Legends 107.3 FM.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “This is not the same offensive team that we had last year. Our returnees have not produced anywhere near what they are capable of doing. We have no leadership and it shows. We’re trying, but it’s just not there.”
Emily Turner threw a three-hit complete game to earn the win in game one and improve to 10-9 on the season. She allowed one unearned run with a pair of walks and four strikeouts.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the second, LSU responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning. Stephanie Hill posted a pair of doubles and an RBI in the inning, while Vanessa Soto knocked in a pair of runs and the Tigers capitalized on a Kentucky error, which made five of the six runs unearned.
In the second game, LSU jumped out to the 1-0 lead on a Camille Harris home run in the bottom of the third. The Wildcats came back to post four runs in the top of the fourth and one in the seventh to take the victory.
“I think that Camille Harris is the only one that is playing her game,” said Girouard. “She’s probably been the most consistent player that we’ve had. She brings her game all the time.”
Megan Jolly started and took the loss to fall to 4-4 on the season. She allowed four runs on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts in three and a third innings. Tiffany Garcia came on in relief and allowed one run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in three and two-thirds innings.
In the first game, Kentucky got on the board first. Jessica Nance reached on a controversial throwing error by Lauren Delahoussaye to lead off the inning. It appeared that Nance was in the base path and prevented Hill from catching the ball at first, but was not ruled out by the umpires. Nance was then sacrificed to second. With two outs, she scored on an RBI single to center field by Lori Melchi.
LSU came back with six runs of its own. Hill led off with a double to left field. With Lauren Uhle pinch running for Hill, Leslie Klein drew a walk. Quinlan Duhon then reached on a fielder’s choice as Klein advanced to second on a throwing error by the shortstop and moved to third, while Uhle scored and Duhon advanced to second. A sacrifice fly to left field by Delahoussaye scored.
Andrea Smith then reached on a fielder’s choice as Kentucky failed to get Duhon going back to second. With runners on first and second, Kristen Hobbs singled through the left side to load the bases. A sacrifice fly to deep center field scored Duhon from third and moved Smith to third. Lauren Castle then drew a walk to load the bases once again.
A single to center field by Soto scored Smith and Hobbs and sent Castle to third before the second double of the inning for Hill scored Castle and moved Soto to third to end the scoring for the Tigers in the game with LSU ahead 6-1.
In the second game, Harris broke the scoreless tie with a monster home run over the scoreboard in left field to give the Tigers the 1-0 lead in the third inning.
Kentucky came back with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Ashley Fertic walked to lead off and then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single to right center by Amber Janneck pushed Fertic to third. Janneck then stole second. A double down the left field line by Nance scored Fertic and Janneck.
Katie Campbell singled to center field and moved Nance to third. After Garcia came on in relief of Jolly and Gina Florence came in to pinch run for Campbell, Florence stole second. A single up the middle by Ashley Dimkich scored Nance and moved Florence to third. The scoring closed out as Jenny Sibert reached on a fielding error by Soto atsecond that allowed Florence to score for the 4-1 lead Wildcat lead.
Kentucky added one more in the top of the seventh as Fertic doubled in Brooke Marnitz, who had reached on a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, to end the scoring with the Wildcats on top 5-1.
Meghan Cooper started and took the loss for Kentucky in the first game, falling to 6-14 on the season. She allowed six runs, one earned, on three hits with two walks in an inning and two-thirds. Samantha Allen came on in relief and allowed two hits with a strikeout in four and a third innings.
In the second game, Amy Kendall earned the complete-game win for the Wildcats to improve to 1-2 on the season. She allowed one run on five hits with two strikeouts.
Kentucky 010 000 0 – 1 3 2
LSU 060 000 x – 6 5 1
Cooper, Allen (3) and Campbell. Turner and Hobbs. WP – Turner (10-9). LP – Cooper (6-14). T – 1:44.
Kentucky 000 400 1 – 5 7 2
LSU 001 000 0 – 1 5 2
Kendall and Campbell. Jolly, Garcia (4) and Roessner. WP – Kendall (1-2). LP – Jolly (4-4). HR – Harris (7). T – 1:50. A – 780.