BATON ROUGE — Behind a shutout effort from Tiffany Garcia and three hits with a school-record four steals by Dee Dee Henderson, the 10th-ranked LSU softball team knocked off Texas-San Antonio on Tuesday evening, 3-0, at Tiger Park.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 25-4 on the season. The loss dropped the Roadrunners to 13-14 on the year. LSU returns to action this weekend as the Tigers remain at home to face the nationally ranked Florida Gators in a three-game Southeastern Conference series. Florida took 1-of-3 from No. 1 Tennessee last weekend to open league play, while LSU won two out of three at Ole Miss last weekend.
Garcia earned the complete-game shutout, her third of the season, to improve to 5-0 on the year. She scattered seven hits with just one walk while striking out three, including a timely strikeout with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning. In both the fourth, sixth and seventh, she faced runners in scoring position and escaped unscathed.
“Tiffany made good pitches and worked her way out of jams when she needed to,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “That is something that all good pitchers can do, come up with that timely pitch and huge strikeout, and she did that tonight. She was able to control a good hitting team.”
Going 3-for-4 in the game, Henderson extended her hitting streak to a team-best 12 games. It marked a career-high for hits in a game. In addition, the junior from Atlanta, Texas, scored all three of the Tigers’ runs.
Henderson entered the LSU record book in the game by stealing four bases ? second three times and third once ? which broke the school record for steals in a game, which she tied against Alcorn State earlier in the season. For the year, she leads the team with a .585 batting average, including 20 stolen bases and 22 runs scored.
“Dee Dee has just been on fire,” said Girouard. “We decided to put her in the lead off spot because she has been getting on base and we are always trying to score first. We also don’t like giving up an out and she can steal to put herself in scoring position without giving up that out. She has just been lights out.”
Henderson was not the only Tiger to get into the record book in the game. Leslie Klein recorded her 53rd career double, tying Stephanie Hastings for the LSU record for career doubles. It also moved Klein into a tie with Hastings for ninth place in career doubles in SEC history.
The Tigers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first. Henderson led off with a single through the right side. She stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice by Jazz Jackson. On a fielder’s choice by Klein, Jackson beat out the play at the plate to score LSU’s first run.
In the bottom of the third, the Tigers added a second run. Again Henderson led off with a single, this time through the left side. After stealing second, she moved to third on a ground out by Jackson. On a ground out by Klein, Henderson scored from third for the 2-0 LSU advantage.
The Tigers closed out the scoring in the bottom of the fifth. Henderson led off with an infield single. She then stole second and third. On a single up the middle by Jackson, Henderson came in for the final run of the game.
Janeille Nickels took the complete-game loss for Texas-San Antonio to fall to 5-5 on the season. She allowed three runs, all earned, on nine hits with two walks. She did not pick up a strikeout in the game as she worked six innings.
The Tigers will then open SEC play at home against nationally ranked Florida in a three-game series beginning on Saturday with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. and concluding with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. The games have been added to the radio broadcast listing and will be broadcast in Baton Rouge on The X ? 104.5/104.9 FM and also in the Geaux Zone on LSUsports.net.
In addition, all three games will have live streaming video available in the Geaux Zone. The final game of the series will also be televised live on Cox Sports Television in Baton Rouge on cable channel 37.