ATHENS, Ga. — A two-run home run by Vanessa Soto in the bottom of the third inning powered the third-seeded LSU softball team past sixth-seeded Auburn, 4-1, in the first day of action at the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Thursday night at the UGA Soccer/Softball Complex.
With the win, the purple and gold recorded their 50th win of the year and improved to 50-11. It marked the eighth 50-win season in the last 10 years, tying LSU with Arizona for the most 50-win seasons over that span in the nation. AU dropped to 34-20 as the purple and gold won their third game in four meetings against Auburn this season.
LSU now advances to take on second-seeded Georgia in the tournament semi-finals on Friday at 2:30 p.m. (CT). The Bulldogs advanced after defeating Arkansas, 2-0, on Thursday afternoon.
In other tournament action, top-seeded Alabama advanced to face fourth-seeded Tennessee after the Crimson Tide topped Ole Miss, 6-0, and the Lady Vols defeated Florida, 6-0. The Championship game is scheduled for noon (CT) on Saturday and will televised on Fox Sports Southwest in Baton Rouge on cable channel 38. The tournament winner receives an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Fighting off fatigue after completing finals in two days before leaving on Wednesday morning, LSU rallied back after trailing Auburn, 1-0, after a solo home run in the top of the first inning. The purple and gold tied the game in the bottom of the second before Soto’s home run gave LSU the lead for good in the third. The Fighting Tigers added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to secure the win.
“Our kids will hopefully be more rested tomorrow because today they were very tired,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “(Emily) Turner was one of them. She hasn’t slept in two days because of finals.”
Turner earned the complete-game win to improve to 24-6 on the year. She allowed just one run on the home run in the first inning, on four hits with five walks. She struck out 11 to give her the seventh double-figure strikeout performance of the season.
“Emily flirted with disaster, but she has come up with big pitches and the big strikeout to get those outs all season,” said Girouard. “Give her credit, when she needed to do it she did it and we finally came through with Soto’s big bomb with a runner on.”
Lauren Delahoussaye and Killian Roessner led the team with two hits each, while Delahoussaye pounded out her eighth double of the season, while Roessner scored a run.
Auburn came out and took the lead in the top of the first inning. With one out, Ashley Griffin recorded her eighth home run of the season, a solo shot that just cleared the right field fence for the 1-0 early lead.
In the bottom of the second, LSU tied it up with a run of its own. With one out, Killian Roessner singled through the left side. With Heidi Robin running for Roessner at first, Lauren Delahoussaye doubled to deep right field, moving Robin to third. An infield ground out by Shannon Stein scored Robin from third for the first run of the game for the purple and gold.
Turner worked her way out of trouble in the top of the third. After Auburn loaded the bases with no outs on a double, walk and bunt single, the first-team All-SEC pitcher retired the side with three straight strikeouts, sitting down the four, five and six hitters for AU to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, LSU took its first lead of the game. Camille Harris led off with a walk. On a fielder’s choice by Leslie Klein, Harris was out at second. With two outs, Vanessa Soto pounded a ball over the fence in right field, clearing the tops of the trees behind the wall for a 3-1 Fighting Tiger advantage. It was the sixth home run of the season for Soto, but the first since playing Auburn on April 8.
LSU extended its lead in the bottom of the sixth. Roessner led off with her second hit of the game and then moved to second on a wild pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Delahoussaye sent Roessner to third. A sacrifice fly by Quinlan Duhon to deep left field scored Roessner to give the purple and gold the 4-1 advantage.
For the first time since the third inning, Turner surrendered a hit in the top of the seventh. With one out and one on by way of a walk, Turner gave up a double to right center to Kristina McCain, moving Amy Shaw to third. Turner came back and struck out the final two batters of the game to end the threat and earn the win.
Holly Currie took the loss for Auburn to fall to 18-12 on the season. She allowed four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts in the complete game effort.
Auburn 100 000 0 – 1 4 0
LSU 012 001 x – 3 8 0
Holly Currie and Tatiana Fernandez. Emily Turner and Killian Roessner. WP – Turner (24-6). LP – Currie (18-12). S – None. HR – Ashley Griffin, Vanessa Soto. T – 1:54. A – 527.
Notes:
– LSU earned its 50th win of the season, giving the Tigers their eighth 50-win season in 10 years.
– With the win, Emily Turner now needs 10 more wins to move into third place in career wins in LSU history.
– Quinlan Duhon moved into a tie for fourth place on the LSU career sacrifice flies list with her sixth-inning sacrifice fly.
– Lauren Castle returned after missing three games due to an ankle injury, and recorded a hit to extend her hitting streak to five games.
– With a pair of hits in the game, Lauren Delahoussaye extended her hitting streak to three games.
– With each recording one hit, Camille Harris, Stephanie Hill and Vanessa Soto extended their hitting streaks to two games.
2006 SEC Softball Tournament
Quarterfinals
May 11, 2006
Game 1: (4) Tennessee def. (5) Florida, 6-0
Game 2: (1) Alabama def. (8) Ole Miss, 6-0
Game 3: (2) Georgia def. (7) Arkansas, 2-0
Game 4: (3) LSU def. (6) Auburn, 4-1
Semifinals
May 12, 2006
Game 5: (4) Tennessee vs. Alabama, Noon CT
Game 6: (3) LSU vs. (2) Georgia, 2:30 p.m. CT
Final
May 13, 2006
Game 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner, Noon CT (FOX Sports South)