ATHENS, Ga. — A four-run first inning led the third-seeded LSU softball team to a 5-0 win over second-seeded Georgia on Friday afternoon at the UGA Soccer/Softball Complex, earning a place for the Tigers in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game.
With the win, No. 11 LSU moved to 51-11 on the season, while the eighth-ranked Bulldogs fell to 51-13 on the year. The Tigers are now in the SEC Tournament championship game for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, having won the title on four previous occasions – 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004.
LSU will face Tennessee in the championship game on Saturday at noon (CT) and be televised in Baton Rouge on Fox Sports Southwest, cable channel 38. The Lady Vols topped top-seeded Alabama, 2-1, to earn their first trip to the championship game.
“This was an extremely satisfying win for us,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “I can remember the feeling we had losing to Georgia last season in a game that we thought we had won. When we lost it in the seventh inning, it sort of sent our season into a downward spiral. To do what we did today was just very gratifying.”
The four runs the Tigers posted in the top of the first were all Emily Turner would need in the circle. The junior allowed just three hits to earn her 16th complete-game shutout of the season and improve to 25-6 on the year. In addition, she walked two and struck out eight for the game. Turner is now tied for the second-most single-season shutouts in school history with former All-American Britni Sneed in 2001.
LSU erupted out of the blocks for four runs in the top of the first. With one out, Camille Harris singled through the left side. A double down the left field line by Leslie Klein scored Harris from first. With two outs and Vanessa Soto on first after a fielder’s choice, Stephanie Hill singled up the middle, moving Soto to second. Erika Sluss then came on to run for Soto.
A wild pitch moved Hill and Sluss to second and third. A double off the top of the wall in center field by Killian Roessner cleared the bases for the 3-0 advantage. A single through the left side by Andrea Smith scored Roessner from second to give the Tigers the 4-0 lead.
“The big lead early was huge for us,” said Girouard. “That set the tone for the rest of the game.”
In the bottom of the third, Georgia had its best scoring chance. Charvi Greer drew a walk to lead off the inning. With one out, Courtney Knight reached on a fielding error by Smith at shortstop as Greer advanced to third.
On a fielder’s choice by Chelsea Cantillo, Greer was caught in a rundown between third and home and was eventually thrown out first to third to catcher to shortstop to first base as Knight advanced to third and Cantillo moved to second. Turner then struck out Megan McAllister looking to end the inning.
The Bulldogs broke up the no-hit bid by Turner with one out in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles. On the second single by Middleton, Greer was thrown out trying to take third as Middleton advanced to second on the throw. A ground out by Knight ended the inning.
In the top of the seventh, LSU added an insurance run. Quinlan Duhon led off with a double off the left field wall. A walk to Castle and a walk to Klein with one out loaded the bases. Soto then singled to right field to score Duhon for the 5-0 advantage.
After giving up a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh, Turner retired the final two batters in order to end the game. She struck out Kasi Carroll and got Greer to ground out to her to complete the shutout.
Carroll took the loss for Georgia to fall to 27-5 on the year. She allowed four runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in one and two-thirds innings. Katie Griffith allowed one run on one hits with six walks and three strikeouts in five and a third innings of relief.
The Tigers have now evened their record with the Bulldogs for the season. After dropping a run-rule loss in the first meeting, LSU has allowed only one runs in the final three games, going 2-for-3 with a pair of shutouts.
For the fourth time in just over a week, the Tigers will take on No. 5 Tennessee. Last weekend, LSU dropped the first two games to the Lady Vols before rebounding for a 4-0 win in the final meeting. Tennessee is making its first appearance in the SEC Tournament championship game, while the Tigers lead the conference in appearances at seven.
LSU 400 000 1 – 5 7 2
UGA 000 000 0 – 0 3 0
Emily Turner and Killian Roessner. Kasi Carroll, Katie Griffith (2) and Becky Mohl, Charvi Greer (2). WP – Turner (25-6). LP – Carroll (27-5). S – None. T – 2:04. A – 433
Notes:
– LSU will make its seventh appearance in the SEC Tournament Championship Game, the most of any school in the league. The Tigers are 4-2 in six previous appearances, leading the conference in tournament titles (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004).
– With three doubles in the game, LSU has now recorded 99 for the season, tying them with the 2003 team for the second most single-season doubles in school history (1998 – 113 is the record).
– With the complete-game shutout, Emily Turner moved into a tie for second in single-season shutouts in LSU history with Britni Sneed in 2001 with 16.
– Turner also moved into a tie for single-season wins with 25, tying her with Ashley Lewis in 1999.
– With one RBI, Leslie Klein now needs just two RBIs to move into fifth place on LSU’s single season RBI list and 10 RBIs to move into fourth place on the LSU career RBI list.
– With a double, Klein now needs two doubles to move into fifth place on the LSU career doubles list.
– With two RBIs, Vanessa Soto now needs just one RBI to move into the top 10 in LSU single-season RBIs.
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 def. (1) Alabama, 2-1
Game 6: (3) LSU vs. (2) Georgia, 5-0
Final
May 13, 2006
Game 7: (4) Tennessee vs. (3) LSU, noon CT (FOX Sports South)