PALO ALTO, Calif. — Back-to-back doubles by Leslie Klein and Killian Roessner scored the game winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning as the third-ranked and 10th-seeded LSU softball team opened NCAA Regional play with a 3-2 win over Cal State Northridge on Thursday afternoon at Smith Family Stadium.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 53-10 on the season. LSU will now play Fresno State on Friday at 2 p.m. CT. The Matadors dropped to 23-22-1 on the year and will face elimination against Stanford on Friday at 5 p.m. CT.
“It seems symptomatic of our team this season,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We start really slow. We did that in several SEC series this year and we did it in the SEC Tournament. We looked like we just came off the plane. Kudos to Northridge, they certainly weren’t intimidated by anything.”
Emily Turner came on relief in the fifth and earned the win to improve to 20-6 on the season. The senior All-American allowed just one hit with three strikeouts in the final two and a third innings. Dani Hofer started and allowed two unearned runs on six hits with four strikeouts in four and two-thirds innings.
“I thought Emily came in to give us a pretty big spark to shut them down,” said Girouard.
A two-run home run by Quinlan Duhon in the second inning put the Tigers on the board. Cal State Northridge came back to tie it up with two unearned runs in the top of the fifth inning. A leadoff double by Klein, followed by a double by Roessner in the bottom of the sixth scored the game winner to give LSU the win. Duhon finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Roessner also had a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI.
“Obviously Quinlan came in and swang the bat really well for us today,” said Girouard. “She hasn’t really hit for us in a little while, but she came in during the week and said she was going to do this and that she wanted to do this so I gave her that spot.”
The Matadors scattered seven hits in the game, with only three hits reaching the outfield. The run scoring double by Kelly Zakosek snapped a streak of 16 consecutive innings without allowing a run by the Tigers.
In the bottom of the first inning, Jazz Jackson led off with an infield single. She was sacrificed to second by Rachel Mitchell. After a walk by Leslie Klein, Jackson was caught stealing at third. A single by Killian Roessner pushed Klein to third, but Shannon Stein flew out to center field to end the inning.
The Tigers got on the board in the bottom of the second. Vanessa Soto walked to lead off the inning. A ground out by Tayl’r Hollis moved Soto to second. Quinlan Duhon then came up with her seventh home run of the year off the foul pole down the left field line. The round tripper gave LSU the early 2-0 lead.
In the top of the third, Northridge got a pair of infield singles to put runners on first and second. A ground out to Stein at second pushed the runners to second and third. Jackie Duree then fouled out to Soto at first to end the threat.
Despite hitting the ball very hard for the next two innings, the Tigers had nothing to show for it. The Matadors then came back in the top of the fifth to get on the board. Megan Smith led off with an infield single that took a strange spin off the bat. With one out, Alexandria Alverado reached on an error by Hofer, who could not pick the ball up.
After an infield fly by Lauren Olivas, Kelly Zakosek doubled down the left field line to score the first run for Northridge. A single by Jackie Duree that bounced over the head of Soto at first, who could not recover in time to cover first as Stein came up with the ball, allowing Alverado to score and tie the game.
LSU got back on top in the bottom of the sixth. Klein led off with a double down the right field line that just stayed fair. Roessner then took the first pitch deep to left center off the fence, allowing Klein to score and give the Tigers the 3-2 advantage. Klein’s double was her 22nd of the season, giving her 63 for her career and moving her into a tie for second all-time in the Southeastern Conference, one shy of the career record.
Mercedes Lovato started and took the loss for Cal State Northridge to fall to 15-12 on the season. She allowed three runs on six hits with two walks in five innings. Amanda Pitzenberger came on in relief in the sixth and did not give up a base hit. The Matador pitching staff did not record a strikeout in the game.
Palo Alto Regional
May 17-19 at Palo Alto, Calif.
All Times Central and subject to change
Thursday, May 17
Game 1: (10) LSU def. Cal St. Northridge, 3-2
Game 2: Fresno State def. Stanford, 2-0
Friday, May 18
Game 3: (10) LSU (53-10) vs. Fresno St. (47-16), 2 p.m.
Game 4: Cal St. Northridge (23-22) vs. Stanford (33-20-1), 5 p.m.
Game 5: Loser Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 19
Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 7: (if nec.) Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 10 p.m. (ESPN2)
NOTE: Game 7 played only if Winner of game 5 wins game 6.
NCAA Softball Regionals
May 17-20, 2007
Campus Sites (host indicated by *)
All times Central and subject to change
Tucson Regional – May 18-20 at Tucson, Ariz.
Live Stats
Pacific (34-22) vs. Mississippi St. (34-25), 6 p.m.
*(1) Arizona (39-12-1) vs. Howard, 8:30 p.m.
Columbus Regional – May 18-20 at Columbus, Ohio
Live Stats
Friday
Cal St. Fullerton (34-20) vs. (16) Virginia Tech (47-14), 4 p.m.
*Ohio St. (38-16) vs. Canisius (27-19), 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, noon
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 5 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, noon
Rematch if necessary
Ann Arbor Regional – May 18-20 at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Live Stats
Friday
Louisville (36-23) vs. Oregon St. (39-21), 3:30 p.m.
*(9) Michigan (43-11) vs. Eastern Michigan (27-20), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 11 a.m.
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 4 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, noon
Rematch if necessary
Hempstead Regional – May 18-20 at Hempstead, N.Y.
Live Stats
Friday
(8) Baylor def. Albany, 8-2
*Hofstra (40-13) vs. Harvard (31-13), 2:30 p.m.
Saturday
(8) Baylor (46-13) vs. Game 2 Winner, 9 a.m.
Albany (33-16) vs. Game 2 Loser, 11:30 a.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 2 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 11 a.m.
Rematch if necessary
Knoxville Regional – May 18-20 at Knoxville, Tenn.
Live Stats
Friday
North Carolina def. Winthrop, 4-3
(5) Tennessee (54-5) vs. Furman (21-34-1), 4 p.m.
Saturday
North Carolina (46-19) vs. Game 2 Winner, 12:30 p.m.
Winthrop (48-17) vs. Game 2 Loser, 3 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 5:30 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles Regional – May 18-20 at Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Stats
Friday
Hawai’i (46-11) vs. UC-Santa Barbara (30-21), 4:30 p.m.
Loyola Marymount (45-16) vs. *(12) UCLA (36-16), 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 5 p.m.
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 7:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 10 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 4:30 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Gainesville Regional – May 18-20 at Gainesville, Fla.
Live Stats
Friday
Georgia Tech def. Texas, 3-2
*(13) Florida (46-20) vs. Stetson (44-20), 5 p.m.
Saturday
Georgia Tech (54-13) vs. Game 2 Winner, noon
Texas (33-19) vs. Game 2 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 5 p.m.
College Station Regional – May 18-20 at College Station ,Texas
Live Stats
Friday
Houston def. UL-Lafayette, 4-3 (9)
*(4) Texas A&M (40-10) vs. Sam Houston St. (37-24), 4 p.m.
Saturday
Houston (43-16) vs. Game 2 Winner, noon
UL-Lafayette (46-17) vs. Game 2 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 5:30 p.m.
Amherst Regional – May 18-20 at Amherst, Mass.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
(3) Oklahoma def. Colgate, 5-2
Long Island (33-20) vs. *Massachusetts (37-12-1), 3:30 p.m.
Saturday
(3) Oklahoma (53-6) vs. Game 2 Winner, 11 a.m.
Colgate (25-23) vs. Game 2 Loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 4 p.m.
Carbondale Regional – May 18-20 at Carbondale, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
(14) DePaul def. Mississippi Valley (29-26), 10-0 (6)
Missouri (38-22) vs. *Southern Illinois (40-14), 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
(14) DePaul (42-11) vs. Game 2 Winner, noon
Mississippi Valley (29-27) vs. Game 2 Loser, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 5 p.m.
Tuscaloosa Regional – May 18-20 at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Live Stats
Friday
California (33-30) vs. Florida St. (44-23), 3:30 p.m.
*(11) Alabama (51-7) vs. Tennessee Tech (48-17), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 11 a.m.
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 4 p.m.
Lincoln Regional – May 18-20 at Lincoln, Neb.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
Creighton (39-12-1) vs. (6) Washington (35-16), 4 p.m.
*Nebraska (37-18) vs. Georgia (43-26), 7 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 1 p.m.
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 4 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 7:30 p.m.
Provo Regional – May 17-19 at Provo, Utah
Live Stats | Live Video
Thursday
(7) Arizona St. def. Southern Utah, 2-1 (9)
*Brigham Young def. Cal Poly, 9-0 (5)
Friday
(7) Arizona St. def. *Brigham Young, 7-1
Cal Poly (39-16) vs. Southern Utah (29-30), 4:30 p.m.
*Brigham Young (42-19) vs. Winner Game 4, 7 p.m.
Saturday
(7) Arizona St. (51-15) vs. Game 5 Winner, 2 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Palo Alto Regional – May 17-19 at Palo Alto, California
Live Stats
Thursday
(10) LSU def. Cal St. Northridge, 3-2
Fresno St. def. *Stanford, 2-0
Friday
(10) LSU (53-10) vs. Fresno St. (47-16), 2 p.m.
Cal St. Northridge (23-22) vs. *Stanford (33-20-1), 5 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, 7:30 p.m.
Rematch if necessary, 10 p.m.
Columbia Regional – May 18-20 at Columbia, S.C.
Live Stats
Friday
Penn St. (26-23) vs. Oregon (42-17), 3 p.m.
(15) NC State (41-19) vs. *South Carolina (34-23), 6 p.m.
Saturday
Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, noon
Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 3 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 6 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, noon
Evanston Regional – May 18-20 at Evanston, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
Illinois St. def. Notre Dame, 2-1
*(2) Northwestern def. Wright St., 4-1
Saturday
Illinois St. (43-15-1) vs. *(2) Northwestern (46-11), 11 a.m.
Notre Dame (31-23) vs. Wright St. (25-33), 1:30 p.m.
Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner, 4 p.m.
Sunday
Game 3 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner, noon
Rematch if necessary