TUCSON, Ariz. — Errors plagued the LSU softball team as the Tigers dropped a 5-0 decision to Arizona in the first game of the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional at Hillenbrand Stadium on Friday evening.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 54-13 on the season, while the Wildcats improved to 48-9 on the year. The pair will meet again at 8 p.m. (CT) on Saturday and an “if necessary” game will follow at 10:30 p.m. (CT) if LSU defeats Arizona in the first game. The winner of the Super Regional will advance to the Women’s College World Series beginning on June 1 in Oklahoma City.
Saturday’s games will be broadcast on ESPNU unless Texas defeats Washington in its first game on Saturday and an “if necessary” game is not needed in Austin, then the LSU-Arizona games will be moved to ESPN2, in Baton Rouge on cable channel 36.
Arizona took the lead in the first on an RBI single by Jenae Leles, who ended with three of the Wildcats’ five RBIs. Arizona then added one in the bottom of the fifth and three in the bottom of the sixth, all unearned, after four errors by Tiger shortstop Andrea Smith.
Emily Turner took the complete-game loss to fall to 27-8 on the season. She allowed five runs, only one of which was earned on nine hits, all singles, with four walks and seven strikeouts.
“I thought Emily pitched well enough to win the game,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “She only gave up one earned run. That’s enough to win. We didn’t have enough offense. If we want to win, we have to touch home plate.”
Wildcat pitcher Alicia Hollowell threw a complete-game shutout to improve to 26-4 on the season. She allowed four hits with 11 strikeouts for Arizona.
“There is no room for error out here,” said Girouard. “Early on, she had everything working. For the first five innings, she was as good as we have seen all year.
“We had some good swings and tried to make adjustments, but everything she threw for a while was picture perfect. We took our hacks and hoped good things happened.”
In the top of the first, Camille Harris recorded a one-out single up the middle for the first base hit for the Tigers. Harris then stole second to put a runner in scoring position for LSU. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not take advantage as Leslie Klein struck out swinging and Vanessa Soto popped out to shortstop to end the inning.
Arizona got a one-out single by Autumn Champion in the bottom of the first, who finished with four hits on the day. Champion then stole second to put the first Wildcat in scoring position. With two outs, Callista Balko drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Leles then singled to right field, scoring Champion from second to give Arizona the 1-0 advantage.
The Wildcats had a chance again in the bottom of the second. With one out, Laine Roth drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt moved her to second. On a strikeout by Caitlin Lowe, she advanced to first on a wild pitch and stole second as Roth moved to second, but was thrown out attempting to steal home.
Champion had her second hit of the game in the third as she led off with a bunt single. She stole second with two outs before Leles drew a walk. Chelsie Mesa then struck out to end the inning.
The Tigers got around a leadoff single in the fourth inning as well. Taryne Mowatt got a single to left and was pinch run for by Kelly Nelson. With one out, Nelson moved to second on a sacrifice by Adrienne Acton. Lowe then grounded out to second to end the threat.
LSU had a chance to get something going in the top of the fifth. Killian Roessner led off with a single to left field. With Dee Dee Henderson running for her at first, a sacrifice bunt attempt by Stephanie Hill was popped up and caught by Callista Balco behind the plate and doubled up Henderson and first.
The error bug bit the Tigers in the bottom half of the inning. On a ball hit to Smith at shortstop by Champion, she just beat out a throw that got away from Smith to first that allowed Champion to advance to second. With one out, Balco reached on the second error of the inning by Smith on a ball that she could not come up with at shortstop that allowed Champion to take third.
With runners at the corners, Leles got a bloop single just past Soto at second into right field that scored Champion as Balco moved to third. A throw from Klein to third allowed Leles to take second on the throw. With Danielle Rodriguez running for Leles at second, Mesa struck out swinging. Mowatt then flied out to center field to end the inning with Arizona leading 2-0.
Errors continued to plague LSU in the sixth. With one out, Acton reached on a fielding error by Smith and advanced to second on a throwing error by Smith to put her at second. A ground out by Lowe moved her to third before the fourth hit of the game by Champion scored her from third as Champion just be out the throw on the infield single.
A walk by Fox moved Champion to second. Balko then singled just under the glove of a diving Harris in left field, scoring Champion from second. Leles then singled to center field, scoring Fox as Balco advanced to third and Leles took second on the throw to the plate by Klein. Chelsie Mesa then struck out for the fourth time in the game to end the inning with the Wildcats leading 5-0.
LSU was not willing to go away quietly. Harris led off the top of the seventh with a single that dropped in down the left field line just behind the bag at third base. With one out, Vanessa Soto pushed one through the right side to send Harris to second. Unfortunately, the Tigers could not covert as Roessner struck out swinging and Hill grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the game.