HOUSTON — The fifth-ranked LSU softball team got a one-hitter by Dani Hofer and five extra-base hits as the Tigers defeated Texas State, 7-1, and knocked off Indiana, 8-0, in five innings on Saturday morning at the Cougar Softball Stadium in the second day of action at the Crowne Plaza Invitational.
LSU had to come back out early Saturday morning after playing well into Friday night in the bitter cold. The Tigers were able to overcome and remain undefeated, improving to 11-0 on the season. The loss dropped Bobcats to 3-6 on the season, while the Hoosiers fell to 1-2.
“It has been a great effort so far by the Tigers, no doubt about it,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We are a little bit tired after that quick turnaround. When you talk about leaving the hotel at 7 a.m., it’s a tough thing about our sport. Our kids persevered and got the bats rolling and pitchers looked outstanding.”
After throwing a no-hitter against Missouri State on Friday night, Hofer came back to throw a complete-game one-hitter against Indiana to improve to 4-0 on the year. The sophomore allowed just a second inning single and a walk in the game, while striking out 14, which tied her season best and was one shy of her career high.
Tiffany Garcia started against Texas State and earned the complete-game win for the Tigers to improve to 2-0 on the season. She allowed one unearned run on four hits with four walks and nine strikeouts, two shy of her career best.
“I thought Tiffany was in complete control along with Dani,” said Girouard.
For the day, the Tigers at the plate, several players had great performances. Leslie Klein posted four hits while going 4-for-7 with a home run and four RBIs.
“Klein started off a little bit slow, but you can’t keep a great player down very long,” said Girouard. “She just looks like a million dollars right now.”
Killian Roessner led the team with a 3-for-4 performance including a double and three RBIs. Tayl’r Hollis posted three hits, including a triple, and two RBIs. Rachel Mitchell had two hits, but made them count. The freshman recorded four RBIs, including three off her second home run of the year.
“Rachel Mitchell continues to impress as a freshman,” said Girouard.
After leaving the bases loaded in the second inning against Texas State, the Tigers got on the board in the third. With one out, Rachel Mitchell drew a walk, her sixth of the tournament. Klein then nailed her second homer of the tournament, to the same spot over the center field fence, to give LSU the 2-0 advantage.
The Tigers broke through for three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Henderson led off with a single to center field. With one out, Henderson stole second. With two outs, Quinlan Duhon and Vanessa Soto drew back-to-back walks. Roessner then doubled to left center in a ball that was caught up in the wind and fell out of reach of the center and left fielder’s. The hit allowed three runs to cross the plate and give LSU the 5-0 lead.
Texas State got on the board with the help of an error in the top of the sixth. Karen Taylor led off with an infield single off the foot of Garcia. With Jill Kloesel running for Taylor at first, Leah Boatright hit a ground ball to third.
On the throw from Tayl’r Hollis to Shannon Stein, Stein was unable to come up with it as Kloesel was safe at second. A single to center field by Chelsea Giroux allowed Kloesel to score. On the play, the Tigers were able to throw out Boatright trying to take third. Garcia then coaxed a pop out and got a strikeout to end the inning.
LSU got the run back and more in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Stein recorded an infield single. She then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. An infield single by Henderson put runners on the corners. Henderson then stole second.
A walk to Mitchell loaded the bases. With Megan Mikeska in to pitch for Elizabeth Dennis, Klein drew a walk to score Stein from third. A single to center field by Duhon scored Henderson, but Mitchell was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second. The runs gave the Tigers the 7-1 lead, which is how it would end.
Sarah Lancour started and took the loss for Texas State. She allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout in three innings. Dennis came on in relief in the fourth and allowed five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts over two and a third innings. Mikeska closed it out, allowing one hit and one walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Against Indiana, LSU got a first inning single by Leslie Klein, but was held hitless after that until the top of the fifth inning. The Tigers then got back-to-back singles by Hollis and Andrea Smith. On Smith’s single, Hollis took third, allowing Smith to advance to second on the throw.
With one out, Kristen Hobbs hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Hollis from third for the first run of the game. Mitchell then singled up the middle, allowing Smith to score from second and Mitchell to take second on the throw home. A wild pitch got Mitchell to third. Klein then singled to left field, scoring Mitchell from third for the 3-0 advantage.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers hit for the cycle as LSU put up five runs on the board. Soto led off with a double to center field. Roessner then reached on a single. With Stein running for Soto at second, Stein and Roessner moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Hollis then hit her first triple of the season to right field, allowing both Stein and Roessner to score.
Smith drew a walk to put runners on the corners. On a ground out by Erika Sluss, Smith moved to second. Mitchell then hit her second homer of the year to put the Tigers in run-rule range, 8-0.
Monica Wright took the complete-game loss to fall to 0-2 on the season. She allowed eight runs on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
LSU will close out play in the tournament against Southern Illinois, which is receiving votes in the national poll, on Sunday at 11 a.m. The Tigers return home to host the Easton Purple & Gold Challenge next weekend. LSU will take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Louisiana Tech, Southern Miss and Troy in the three-day tournament.
“We’ve got one more game to finish this off,” said Girouard. “Overall, it was just an outstanding performance both mentally and physically.”