LEXINGTON, Ky. — With a doubleheader sweep of Kentucky, 5-2 and 13-2 in five innings on Saturday afternoon, the 13th-ranked LSU softball team earned its 500th win since the reinstatement of the program in 1997, becoming just the second program in Southeastern Conference history to reach the 500-win plateau.
Despite extremely cold conditions and occasional snow flurries, the Tigers improved to 30-5 on the season and 6-2 in league play, joining South Carolina as the only programs in the SEC with 500 wins, although the Gamecocks have been playing softball since 1974. The Wildcats fell to 14-15 on the year and 2-9 in league play.
“It was a great day offensively for the Tigers,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We absolutely swung the bats like I know we are capable of doing. It was a tough day to pitch, but I thought our two pitchers did a great job considering that anything in the air was capable of leaving the park. It was a great day for us, but not good softball conditions. It was just a matter of survival, but I thought we played well.”
Stephanie Hill had a career day to lead LSU in the doubleheader. The senior went 6-for-6 with three doubles, a home run and eight RBIs. In the first game, she went 4-for-4 with a double and a home run and four RBIs, setting a career best for hits. She came back in the second game and went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, tying her career best for doubles in a game.
Camille Harris also put on a power display, nailing a pair of home runs on the day. The senior went 2-for-6 with two homers while also scoring five runs. On two occasions she was hit by a pitch, moving her to within one of the LSU career hit-by-pitches record. Leslie Klein was 4-for-8, including a double, with three runs scored on the day.
“Stephanie Hill was just phenomenal today,” said Girouard. “Leslie Klein continues her tear. Camille Harris showed power from the second hole that we have been lacking.”
LSU jumped on the board early in the first game. Lauren Castle led off with a bunt single. With Dee Dee Henderson running for Castle at first, Henderson moved to second after Harris was hit by a pitch. With one out and runners on first and second, a ground out by Klein sent Henderson and Harris to second and third. Hill then doubled to left center to give the Tigers the 2-0 lead.
Kentucky got back to within one in the bottom of the third. With one out, Brooke Marnitz doubled to left field. Megan Miller then reached on an error at second by Vanessa Soto that sent Marnitz to third. After Miller stole second, a sacrifice fly to left field by Katie Campbell scored Marnitz to cut the LSU lead to 2-1.
The Tigers got the run back in the top of the sixth. Hill led off the inning with a solo home run to left field for her team-leading fourth homer of the season.
In the top of the seventh, LSU added two more runs. Harris nailed a one-out home run to straight away center field, her second homer of the season. Hill later doubled home Heidi Robin, who was pinch running for Soto, who reached on a single, to run the score to 5-1.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Marnitz closed out the scoring for the game with a solo home run to left field as the Tigers earned the win, 5-2.
Emily Turner earned the complete-game victory for LSU to improve to 11-2 on the season. She allowed two run, one earned, on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Jessica Trueblood took the loss for Kentucky to fall to 5-8 on the year. She allowed five runs, four earned, on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts in the complete-game effort.
In the second game, the Tigers turned it on early and often as LSU scored 13 runs in five innings. In the top of the first, LSU started with three runs. With one out, Harris reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and advanced to second. A double to center field by Soto scored Harris from second.
A single by Klein put runners at first and second before the pair advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. A double to left center by Hill scored Soto and Klein to run the score to 3-0 in favor of the Tigers.
LSU extended the lead in the top of the third. With one out, Hill drew a walk. A single through the left side by Quinlan Duhon sent Hill to second. Killian Roessner then singled up the middle to load the bases. A double to center field by Lauren Delahoussaye scored Hill and Duhon to run the score to 5-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Tigers appeared to have the game wrapped up. LSU added four more runs. Harris led off with a solo home run to center field, her third of the season and second of the day. With one out, Klein doubled to left center. The second double of the game by Hill scored Klein.
After Hill stole third, Duhon drew a walk. Roessner also drew a walk to load the bases. A third consecutive walk to Delahoussaye scored Hill. Andrea Smith then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Duhon from third to run the score to 9-0 and in the run-rule range.
Kentucky had other ideas. In the bottom half of the inning, the Wildcats came back to score a pair of runs. With one out, Campbell was hit by a pitch. Amber Fertic then hit a home run to left field to cut the LSU lead to 9-2.
The Tigers put the game out of reach with four more in the top of the firth. Harris was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After Soto drew a walk, Klein reached on an infield single to load the bases.
Hill then recorded a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Harris from third and advancing both runners. On an infield ground out by Duhon, Soto scored from third. A double to left center by Erika Sluss scored Klein from second to run the score to the 13-2 final as Kentucky was unable to score in the bottom half of the inning, stranding the bases loaded with back-to-back strikeouts to end the game.
Dani Hofer earned the complete-game win to improve to 10-3 on the season. The freshman allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.
Amy Kendall started and took the loss for the Wildcats to fall to 5-6 on the year. She allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in an inning. Lindsay Brogdon came on in relief and allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks in two and a third.
Lydia Pierce came in and walked both batters she faced. Trueblood closed out the game, allowing four runs on three hits with a walk in the final inning and two-thirds.
LSU will go for the series sweep on Sunday with a single game at noon (CT). The Tigers have recorded one series sweep this season, sweeping Ole Miss at home to open conference play. LSU will return home next week for a non-conference mid-week game against Centenary before hosting South Carolina in an SEC series next weekend.