AUBURN, Ala. — Rachel Mitchell came up with a three-run home run that proved to be the difference in game two as the sixth-ranked LSU softball team swept a doubleheader from Auburn, 9-0 in five innings, and 4-1, on Saturday afternoon at Jane B. Moore Field.
The Tigers (34-5, 9-2 SEC) will go for their second Southeastern Conference sweep this season in the series finale on Sunday at 1 p.m. Auburn dropped to 17-21 on the year and 6-9 in league play. With a loss by Alabama on Saturday, LSU moved two games ahead of the Crimson Tide in the loss column to lead the Western Division standings.
“It was a very good outing today by the Tigers,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “Now we’ve got a chance to sweep the series and that is always our goal.”
Emily Turner earned the complete-game shutout to improve to 12-4 on the season in game one. She scattered six hits with a walk while striking out eight in five innings. Dani Hofer came back in the second game and allowed just a leadoff home run and three hits with three walks and nine strikeouts in the complete game to improve to 13-1.
“Emily kept them from touching the plate,” said Girouard,” and Dani settled down after giving up that first inning home run.”
Mitchell came up with the big hit in the second game. With the scored tied at one and two outs in the fourth inning, she nailed a three-run home run to left field that scored Erika Sluss and Leslie Klein and proved to be the difference. Mitchell finished the day 3-for-6 with the home run, a double and four RBIs.
“In the second game, their freshman pitcher threw a good game, but we battled her and Rachel Mitchell came up with the big hit,” said Girouard.
LSU had gotten on the board in the top of the first as Dee Dee Henderson drew a leadoff walk. She stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a wild pitch. Auburn tied it up in the bottom half of the first on a leadoff solo home run by Ashley Arcuri. It was the only run LSU allowed on the day.
Anna Thompson took the loss in game two for Auburn to fall to 10-10 on the season. She allowed four runs on five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts in the complete-game effort.
In the first game, LSU started early and scored often. The purple and gold got five in the second, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Tayl’r Hollis, a two-RBI single by Quinlan Duhon and two errors by Auburn shortstop Lindsey Harrelson. After a walk to Soto and a double by Mitchell, Soto scored on the sacrifice fly by Hollis.
“We literally got off the bus running and hitting in the first game,” said Girouard. “We put a lot of things together with our speed game and timely hitting.”
After Shannon Stein reached on the first error by Harrelson, Mitchell and Stein moved to second and third on a passed ball. A walk by Andrea Smith loaded the bases. Duhon came up with a two-RBI single to center field that scored Mitchell and Stein. With two outs, Klein drew a walk. On the second error by Harrelson, Smith and Duhon scored to give LSU the 5-0 lead.
In the top of the third, the purple and gold added three more runs. With one out, Hollis singled and then moved to second on a ground out by Stein. The third error of the game by Harrelson allowed Hollis to move to third. Smith then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. A single by Henderson scored Hollis. With runners at the corners, Henderson stole second. On the play, the ball got caught up in Henderson’s legs, allowing Smith to score from third.
LSU closed out the scoring in the top of the fourth. Roessner led off with her 11th double of the season. She moved to third on a ground out by Soto and scored on a single by Mitchell.
Holly Currie started and took the loss for AU in the first game. She allowed five runs, two earned, on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in an inning and two-thirds. Brittany Day came on in relief and allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits with three strikeouts in the final three and a third.
The purple and gold improved to 31-19 overall against Auburn and have won four of the last five. LSU will got for its fourth series sweep of AU on Sunday, a feat the purple and gold have not accomplished since 2003.
LSU returns home to host five SEC games next week. The Tigers will host Kentucky in a mid-week doubleheader on Tuesday at 4 p.m. Both games will be televised on Cox Sports Television in Baton Rouge on cable channel 37. LSU will then take on South Carolina in a three-game series. The Tigers will face the Gamecocks in a doubleheader on Friday starting at 4 p.m. before concluding the series on Saturday at 1 p.m.
LSU 053 10 – 9 9 0
Auburn 000 00 – 0 6 4
Emily Turner and Killian Roessner. Holly Currie, Brittany Day (2) and Tatiana Fernandez. WP ? Turner (12-4). LP ? Currie (7-10). S ? None. T ? 1:54.
LSU 100 300 0 – 4 5 0
Auburn 100 000 0 – 1 3 0
Dani Hofer and Killian Roessner. Anna Thompson and Jorja Bell. WP ? Hofer (13-1). LP ? Thompson (10-10). S ? None. HR ? Rachel Mitchell. T ? 1:54. A ? 536.