LSU Gold

LSU Softball Pitchers Dominate Final Day of Challenge

by LSUsports.net (@LSUsports)
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LSU Softball Pitchers Dominate Final Day of Challenge

BATON ROUGE — Senior Lauren Castle earned Most Valuable Player honors as the LSU softball team claimed its sixth Easton Purple & Gold Challenge championship with a pair of wins over Northwestern State, 6-1, and South Dakota State, 4-0, on Sunday at Tiger Park.

After the first day of competition was rained out, the Tigers went undefeated to complete the tournament with a 4-0 record to open the season. Northwestern State, South Dakota State and Stephen F. Austin each finished at 2-2 in tournament play, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff was winless at 4-0.

“I think, with the exception of base running mistakes, we looked very good,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “The defense was totally solid; especially tonight, we made some really nice plays. We hit the ball as hard as you can possibly hit it, but it just didn’t have eyes at times, but overall I was very pleased.”

Castle earned MVP honors after finishing the weekend at 5-for-12 with a double, three home runs, nine RBIs and eight runs scored. It marked the second straight year that the senior from Lafayette has earned Most Valuable Player honors in the Purple & Gold Challenge.

In addition to Castle, juniors Leslie Klein and Emily Turner and freshman Dani Hofer were named to the all-tournament team for LSU. Klein went 7-for-13 on the weekend with a double, a home run, three stolen bases and six RBIs. Turner and Hofer each went 2-0 in the circle, combining for three shutouts and 43 strikeouts with a 0.38 earned run average over 24 innings.

“I was very pleased with the pitching,” said Girouard. “I thought that Emily came back and threw well today. Dani had a great outing again. Killian Roessner handles the pitchers so well from behind the plate.

Leslie Klein looked like the Leslie Klein of two years ago,” Girouard continued. “Lauren Castle had a phenomenal weekend and made a very nice play in the outfield.”

Against Northwestern State, Stephanie Hill led the Tigers with a 3-for-4 performance, including a double and a run scored. Andrea Smith went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs, while Lauren Delahoussaye went 1-for-2 and added two more RBIs.

Hofer earned the complete-game win for LSU. She allowed one run on two hits with three walks and 15 strikeouts in seven innings. With a no-hitter going in to the sixth inning, she allowed back-to-back hits to give up the first run of her collegiate career. She also posted her second straight double-figure strikeout performance.

LSU got on the board in the bottom of the second inning. Hill led off with a single to left center. After Dee Dee Henderson came in to run for Hill, she stole second. A ground out moved Henderson to third before she scored on a single to left field by Vanessa Soto. An RBI single by Smith later in the inning allowed Soto to score for the 2-0 advantage.

The Demons scored their only run of the game in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Margaret Patterson broke up the no-hitter with a double down the left field line. She then scored on a single to center field by Sarina Noack.

The Tigers closed out the scoring with four in the sixth. Once again the inning began with a single by Hill. After Roessner reached on an error, Heidi Robin came in to run for her. With the bases loaded, Delahoussaye scored a pair of runners on a single that ricocheted off the glove of the third basemen. Smith then recorded an RBI single before Delahoussaye scored on passed ball.

In the nightcap against South Dakota State, Hill again led the Tigers with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with a double and an RBI. Castle went 1-for-4, with a double and an RBI and two runs scored for LSU.

In the circle, Turner earned her second straight complete-game shutout. In seven innings, she gave up only two hits with one walk and 13 strikeouts, one shy of her career high.

LSU took the early lead in the top of the first inning. The Tigers got on the board courtesy of a Jackrabbit error, allowing Castle, who had also reached on an error, to score. In the top of the fourth, LSU added a second run, also on an SDSU error. Klein doubled to left center, but came around to score on an error by the shortstop.

The Tigers closed out the scoring in the fifth inning. Castle doubled home Camille Harris, who had reached on a single, before a double by Hill scored Castle from second to run it to the 4-0 final score.

LSU returns to action on Wednesday against Grambling State. The Tigers host GSU in a doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. at Tiger Park. Next weekend, LSU will host the Easton Tiger Classic, which features Washington, Western Kentucky, Eastern Michigan and Mississippi Valley State.

2006 Easton Purple & Gold Challenge All-Tournament Team
Crystal Garcia – Stephen F. Austin
Amanda Glenn – Northwestern State
Dani Hofer – LSU
Leslie Klein – LSU
Steph Kuhl – South Dakota State
Margaret Patterson – Northwestern State
Kiley Schwedhelm – South Dakota State
Emily Turner – LSU
MVP: Lauren Castle – LSU