BATON ROUGE — The 10th-ranked LSU softball team made its hits count, including the game-winning home run by Leslie Klein, as the Tigers completed the series sweep of 19th-ranked Florida, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon at Tiger Park.
With the win, LSU improved to 28-4 on the season and 5-1 in Southeastern Conference play. It marks the third consecutive year the Tigers have swept the season series from the Gators, who dropped to 20-14 on the year and 2-6 in league action. LSU has now won 10 straight over Florida and 14 of the last 15.
“This was just a great weekend,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We had great weather with a phenomenal crowd that helped boost us up in every game. We played hard-nosed softball the way the game is supposed to be played.”
Klein broke up Stacey Nelson’s no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run down the left field line that ended the 1-1 tie for good and proved to be the game winner. It marked the 27th career home run for the senior two-time All-American from Sunrise, Fla., who moved into a tie for second in career home runs in Tiger softball history.
LSU had gotten on the board in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by Killian Roessner that scored Dee Dee Henderson, who had reached on a walk, stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice by Klein. Henderson recorded the only other Tiger hit in the game, posting a leadoff single in the top of the sixth. With that hit, she tied the LSU record for hits in consecutive games at 15. The junior from Atlanta, Texas, is now tied with Klein and Stephanie Hill, who both recorded 15-game hitting streaks during the 2004 season.
“I’ve been on the opposite side of this before, where we’ve given up one hit and lost, and it’s just the nature of our game sometimes,” said Girouard. “We created havoc in the first inning with our speed and then we came back with the big blow by Klein.”
Emily Turner earned the win for the Tigers in relief to improve to 10-3 on the season. She came on in the fourth with the score tied at one, two on and two outs and proceeded to record the final out on the first pitch she threw. The senior All-American from Chula Vista, Calif., allowed just one hit in three and a third innings with three strikeouts.
Dani Hofer started for LSU and went three and a third innings before being relieved by Turner. She allowed one run on only two hits with two walks and six strikeouts. For the weekend, Tiger pitchers allowed only two runs on eight hits with 26 strikeouts in 21 innings.
“We thought it was the right time to bring in Emily,” said Girouard. “It was a toss up as to who was going to start, but we were going to have both pitchers ready. Dani gave us three and two-thirds good innings. To give up only eight hits in three games against a team that has some mighty big wins means we got some really good pitching. We weren’t as dominating today, but we controlled hitters. If you can’t strike them out, that is your next goal and I think that is what we did today.”
Florida’s only run of the game came in the top of the fourth. With one out, Lacy Howard drew a walk. On what appeared to be a strikeout-throw out to end the inning, Howard was ruled safe at second with a stolen base. Howard then came around to score on a single through the right side by Mary Ratliff.
Nelson took the complete-game loss for the Gators. She allowed two runs, only one of which was earned, on two hits with a walk and five strikeouts to fall to 12-7 on the season.
Next week, the Tigers will travel for a mid-week game against Centenary in Shreveport. LSU will take on the Ladies on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Earlier in the season, the Tigers knocked off Centenary, 9-0, in five innings in the Easton Tiger Classic.
LSU returns to conference play next weekend against nationally ranked Alabama at home. The Tigers will host the second-ranked Crimson Tide in a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday and concluding with a single game on Sunday.
LSU will host “Bark in the Park” and dog owners are encouraged to bring their family friendly pets to the park on a leash all weekend. The first 100 dogs will receive free LSU “Geaux Dog Geaux” collars and an extreme canine stunt dog act will perform on Saturday between the two games of the doubleheader.