FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The 10th-ranked LSU softball team was again plagued by errors as the Tigers split a doubleheader against Arkansas, coming from behind to defeat the Lady Razorbacks, 4-3, in the first game, before falling, 3-2, in nine innings in the night cap on Wednesday at Lady’Back Yard.
With the split, LSU moved to 45-9 on the season and 18-6 in the Southeastern Conference, dropping just their second SEC series of the season after losing 2-of-3 to Arkansas. The Lady’Backs moved to 26-29 on the year and 10-16 in league play, earning their first series win over the Tigers.
“All the credit goes to Arkansas,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We have just been in a funk for two days and didn’t play anywhere near our potential. Arkansas did what they needed to do. We got what we earned, and that was one game.”
LSU returns home for a three-game series against Florida this weekend. The Tigers will take on the Gators, who fell out of the national polls this week after being ranked for several weeks, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. The series will conclude with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. as LSU honors its four seniors for “Senior Day”.
“We’ve got to move on,” said Girouard. “We’ve got to flush it and get ready for Florida this weekend.”
Trailing 3-0 after allowing two unearned runs, LSU scored four runs with two outs in the top of the fifth inning to rally back for the win, including a two-run double by Camille Harris and the game-winning RBI by Leslie Klein. In the second game, Klein gave the Tigers the 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth on a two-run home run. Kayla Johnson tied the game for Arkansas with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. In extra innings, LSU committed three consecutive errors in the bottom of the ninth to give the Lady’Backs the winning run.
Dani Hofer earned the win in the first game to improve to 15-4 on the season. She allowed three runs, one earned, on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts in six and a third innings. Emily Turner came on in relief to earn her second save of the season. She allowed one hit with two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.
Turner came back and threw the complete-game in the night cap, falling to 20-5 on the season. She allowed three runs, two earned, on 10 hits with four walks and five strikeouts in eight innings, but committed back-to-back errors in the bottom of the ninth before a Lauren Delahoussaye error allowed the winning run to score.
As it did in the first game, Arkansas took advantage of an error to get on the scoreboard first. The Lady Razorbacks got a leadoff single up the middle by Mindy O’Malley that was stopped just shy of the outfield by a sliding Vanessa Soto at second.
Rachel LeMaster then reached on a fielding error by Dani Hofer as O’Malley advanced to second. With two outs, Shana Easley drew a walk to load the bases. A single down the left field line by Blair Perry scored O’Malley and LeMaster to give Arkansas the 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, a great play kept the Lady Razorbacks from extending the lead. With two outs, O’Malley singled to right center. She then stole second after the tag of Andrea Smith went just over the head of O’Malley.
On a single by LeMaster that Soto kept from reaching the outfield on the diving stop again, Smith picked up the ball and gunned down O’Malley at the plate, who was trying to score from second.
The Tigers had their first chance in the top of the third. Killian Roessner led off with a double down the left field line. With Heidi Robin running for Roessner at second, Robin advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Smith. A walk to Lauren Castle put runners on the corners with one out. Camille Harris then grounded out to third to move Castle to second. Soto then grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.
Arkansas extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Dayna Huckabee hit a 2-1 pitch over the center field fence to give the Lady’Backs a 3-0 lead.
LSU erupted to take the lead in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs after a double play wiped out a hit by Lauren Delahoussaye, Smith singled to left field. A walk to Castle put runners on first and second. Camille Harris then doubled into the left field corner, scoring both Smith and Castle.
A second double by Vanessa Soto to deep center field scored Harris from second to tie the game. With Shannon Stein running for Soto at second, a single through the right side by Leslie Klein scored Stein to give LSU the 4-3 advantage, its first lead of the series.
Katy Henry took the loss in relief to fall to 14-14 on the season. She allowed the losing run on three hits with two strikeouts in two and a third innings. Perry started and allowed three runs on four hits with three walks in four and two-thirds innings to open the game.
In the second game, the Tigers got out of a tight spot in the bottom of the second inning. Sandra Smith doubled to left center to lead off the inning. With Brandy Foust running for Smith at second, she moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. With one out, Turner got Whitney Cloer to strike out swinging before Huckabee stuck out swinging to end the inning.
LSU got on the board first for the first time in the series. In the top of the fourth, Castle recorded an infield single. With Dee Dee Henderson running for Castle, she stole second. An infield ground out by Harris moved Henderson to third. With two outs, Klein homered to center field to give the Tigers the 2-0 advantage. It was the team-leading seventh home run of the season for Klein.
In the bottom of the fifth, Arkansas came back to tie the game at two. With one out, O’Malley singled up the middle. With two outs, Kayla Johnson homered to left field, her first home run of the season, to even the game.
LSU came back immediately to threaten in the top of the sixth. Castle led off with a single through the left side. After Castle moved to second on passed ball, Harris then singled to left field as Castle advanced to third. On a fly ball to center field by Soto, Castle tagged at third, but was thrown out at the plate for the double play as Harris advanced to third. Klein then flew out to deep left field to end the inning.
The Lady Razorbacks threatened again in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, back-to-back singles by Perry and Cloer put runners on first and second. Harris then saved a run as she made a diving catch in left field on a fly ball by Huckabee. Moncrief then grounded out to second to end the threat.
Arkansas again threatened in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, LeMaster reached on a fielding error by Turner. With two outs, Easley singled to left field as LeMaster advanced to second. Smith then struck out swinging to end the inning with the winning run on second.
LSU got out of trouble in the bottom of the eighth. Perry led off with a single to left field. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Turner then retired Huckabee and Moncrief to end the inning with the winning run again in scoring position.
The Tigers’ nemesis the entire series returned to cost them in the bottom of the ninth. After a leadoff walk by O’Malley, LeMaster reached on a fielding error by Turner on a sacrifice bunt attempt as O’Malley advanced to second. A second fielding error by Turner loaded the bases as Johnson reached.
On a ground ball to third by Easley, Delahoussaye bobbled the ball long enough for the winning run to cross the plate for Arkansas. In total, the Tigers allowed five unearned runs in the three game series, which cost LSU both losses, surrendering the most runs in an SEC series since giving up 10 against Alabama.
Henry earned the complete-game win to improve to 15-14 on the season, getting the decision in all three games in the series. She allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.