PALO ALTO, Calif. — A ninth-inning home run by Rachel Mitchell and a two-hit shutout by Emily Turner led the third-ranked and 10th-seeded LSU softball team to a 1-0 win over 25th-ranked Fresno State on Friday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Regionals at Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium.
The win pushes the Tigers to 54-10 on the season and sends LSU to the championship game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT, where it will only have to win one game to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals. The game or games will be broadcast live on ESPN2 in Baton Rouge on cable channel 36.
“This was a great win for us in such a close game,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard.
The Tigers will play Stanford, which will have to defeat LSU twice in a row to advance to the NCAA Super Regionals. The loss dropped the Bulldogs to 47-17 on the year and puts them in a position to have to win three games on Friday and Saturday to advance.
In the top of the ninth with one out, Mitchell hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence. It marked her team-leading ninth home run of the year and broke the scoreless tie and proved to be the game winning run. It was the second home run in four games for Mitchell, who was named to the SEC All-Tournament team after leading the team in hitting with a home run and two doubles last weekend.
Turner threw a two-hit shutout to improve to 21-6 on the season. She had a no-hitter broken up in the sixth inning, but only surrendered two singles and allowed only one runner to reach second base against her. In nine innings, she walked three and struck out nine for her seventh complete-game shutout of the season.
Robin Mackin went the whole way for Fresno State, taking the loss to fall to 36-10 on the year. She allowed one run on eight hits with four walks and 10 strikeouts.
“This was an extreme battle between the two pitchers,” said Girouard. “Makin made some huge pitches, but I think Turner made a few more. We left so many on base; and what I was worried about was the fact that we were the visitors.”
Vanessa Soto led the Tigers at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double, while Jazz Jackson was 2-for-4 on the day. Andrea Smith also had a double, which gave LSU 100 doubles on the season as a team, the third most in school history.
After stranding one in the top of the first, the Tigers got a one-out double to right center by Vanessa Soto, but could move her no further. In the third, Andrea Smith struck out, but reached on a passed ball. With Dee Dee Henderson running for Smith, she moved to second on an infield single by Jackson. A sacrifice bunt by Rachel Mitchell pushed Henderson and Jackson to second and third. Mackin then struck out Leslie Klein and Killian Roessner in order to end the inning.
After stranding a runner on first in the fourth, Smith led off the fifth with a double to left center. A sacrifice by Jackson pushed Smith to third. Mitchell then drew a walk and later stole second to move to second. But, again Mackin struck out Klein and Roessner to end the threat.
With one out in the sixth, Soto drew a walk. With two outs, Soto moved to second on a single by Shannon Stein. A walk to Smith loaded the bases, but Jackson grounded out to first to end the inning.
After stranding three runners on first base through the first five, Fresno State recorded its first hit of the game to break up the no-hit bid by Turner. Haley Perkins led off with a bloop single to left field that Jackson kicked away from her, allowing Perkins to advance to second. Turner then retired the final three batter of the inning to end the threat.
After going 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh for the first time in the game, LSU got a one-out single by Soto to start the eighth. On a bunt attempt by Kristen Hobbs, Soto advanced to third and Hobbs was safe as Mackin threw the ball into right field. Stein then grounded out to Mackin before Smith nailed a hard shot that was snagged by the third baseman to end the inning. Smith could not have hit it much harder, but did not have anything to show for it.
The Tigers finally got on the board in the top of the ninth. With a one-ball count, Mitchell hit a ball high to left field that carried out of the park for her team-best ninth home run of the year. That put LSU ahead, 1-0, and ended the scoreless tie.
In the bottom of the ninth, Turner retired the side in order as she got Merryann Barr to strike out looking. Nichole Willis then popped out to Stein at second. Soto made a diving catch in foul territory on a ball hit by Mackin to end 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 def. Fresno St., 1-0 (9)
Game 4: Stanford def. Cal St. Northridge (23-23), 3-0
Cal St. Northridge eliminated
Game 5: Stanford def. Fresno St. (47-18), 1-0
Fresno St. eliminated
Saturday, May 19
Game 6: (10) LSU (54-10) vs. Stanford (35-20-1), 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 Super Regional Pairings
Tucson vs. Columbus
Ann Arbor vs. Hempstead
Knoxville vs. Los Angeles
Gainesville vs. College Station
Amherst vs. Carbondale
Tuscaloosa vs. Lincoln
(7) Arizona St. vs. Palo Alto
Columbia vs. Evanston
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
Friday
Mississippi St. def. Pacific, 7-1
*(1) Arizona def. Howard, 9-0 (5)
Saturday
*(1) Arizona def. Mississippi St., 8-0
Pacific (34-23) vs. Howard (35-20), 6 p.m.
Mississippi St. (35-26) vs. Game 4 Winner, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday
*(1) Arizona (41-12-1) vs. Game 5 Winner, 2 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Columbus Regional – May 18-20 at Columbus, Ohio
Live Stats
Friday
(16) Virginia Tech def. Canisius, 5-0
*Ohio St. def. Cal St. Fullerton, 2-1
Saturday
*Ohio St. def. (16) Virginia Tech, 2-1
Cal St. Fullerton def. Canisius (27-21), 8-0 (5)
Canisius eliminated
Cal St. Fullerton def. (16) Virginia Tech (48-16), 1-0
(16) Virginia Tech eliminated
Sunday
*Ohio St. (40-16) vs. Cal St. Fullerton (36-21), noon
Rematch if necessary
Ann Arbor Regional – May 18-20 at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Live Stats
Friday
Louisville def. Oregon St., 8-0 (5)
*(9) Michigan def. Eastern Michigan, 3-0
Saturday
*(9) Michigan def. Louisville, 6-3
Oregon St. def. Eastern Michigan (27-22), 6-1
Eastern Michigan eliminated
Oregon St. def. Louisville (37-25), 11-4
Louisville eliminated
Sunday
*(9) Michigan (45-11) vs. Oregon St. (41-22), noon
Rematch if necessary
Hempstead Regional – May 18-20 at Hempstead, N.Y.
Live Stats
Friday
(8) Baylor def. Albany, 8-2
*Hofstra def. Harvard, 3-2 (9)
Saturday
(8) Baylor def. *Hofstra, 7-2
Albany def. Harvard (31-15), 1-0
Harvard eliminated
Albany def. *Hofstra (41-14), 4-2
*Hofstra eliminated
Sunday
(8) Baylor (47-13) vs. Albany (35-16), 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 def. Furman, 8-0 (6)
Saturday
*(5) Tennessee def. North Carolina, 2-0
Winthrop def. Furman (21-36-1), 11-1 (5)
Furman eliminated
North Carolina (46-20) vs. Winthrop (49-17), 5:30 p.m.
Sunday
*(5) Tennessee (56-5) vs. Game 5 Winner, 1 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Los Angeles Regional – May 18-20 at Los Angeles, Calif.
Live Stats
Friday
Hawai’i def. UC-Santa Barbara, 2-0 (10)
*(12) UCLA def. Loyola Marymount, 6-3
Saturday
Hawai’i (47-11) vs. *(12) UCLA (37-16), 5 p.m.
UC-Santa Barbara (30-22) vs. Loyola Marymount (45-17), 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 def. Stetson, 7-0
Saturday
*(13) Florida def. Georgia Tech, 8-0 (5)
Texas def. Stetson (44-22), 2-0
Stetson eliminated
Texas def. Georgia Tech (54-15), 4-2
Georgia Tech eliminated
Sunday
*(13) Florida (48-20) vs. Texas (35-19), noon
Rematch if necessary
College Station Regional – May 18-20 at College Station ,Texas
Live Stats
Friday
Houston def. UL-Lafayette, 4-3 (9)
*(4) Texas A&M def. Sam Houston St., 9-5
Saturday
Houston def. *(4) Texas A&M, 8-1
Sam Houston St. def. UL-Lafayette (46-18), 2-1
UL-Lafayette eliminated
*(4) Texas A&M (41-11) vs. Sam Houston St. (38-25), 5:30 p.m.
Sunday
Houston (44-16) vs. Game 5 Winner, 1 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Amherst Regional – May 18-20 at Amherst, Mass.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
(3) Oklahoma def. Colgate, 5-2
*Massachusetts def. Long Island, 4-3 (9)
Saturday
(3) Oklahoma def. *Massachusetts, 2-0
Long Island def. Colgate (25-24), 5-1
Colgate eliminated
*Massachusetts def. Long Island (34-22), 7-3
Long Island eliminated
Sunday
(3) Oklahoma (54-6) vs. *Massachusetts (39-13-1), 11 a.m.
Rematch if necessary
Carbondale Regional – May 18-20 at Carbondale, Ill.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
(14) DePaul def. Mississippi Valley, 10-0 (6)
Missouri def. *Southern Illinois, 8-0 (5)
Saturday
(14) DePaul def. Missouri, 2-0
*Southern Illinois def. Mississippi Valley (29-28), 7-0
Mississippi Valley eliminated
Missouri def. *Southern Illinois (41-16), 7-4
*Southern Illinois eliminated
Sunday
(14) DePaul (43-11) vs. Missouri (40-23), noon
Rematch if necessary
Tuscaloosa Regional – May 18-20 at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Live Stats
Friday
California def. Florida St., 13-6
Tennessee Tech def. *(11) Alabama, 4-2
Saturday
Tennessee Tech def. California, 3-1
*(11) Alabama def. Florida St. (44-25), 6-3
Florida St. eliminated
*(11) Alabama def. California (34-32), 13-1 (5)
California eliminated
Sunday
Tennessee Tech (50-17) vs. *(11) Alabama (53-8), 1:30 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
Lincoln Regional – May 18-20 at Lincoln, Neb.
Live Stats | Live Video
Friday
(6) Washington def. Creighton, 5-1
Georgia def. *Nebraska, 3-2
Saturday
(6) Washington def. Georgia, 8-0 (5)
Creighton def. *Nebraska (37-20), 2-1
*Nebraska eliminated
Georgia (44-27) vs. Creighton (40-13-1), 7:30 p.m.
Sunday
(6) Washington (37-16) vs. Game 5 Winner, 1 p.m.
Rematch if necessary
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
Southern Utah def. Cal Poly (39-17), 9-4
Cal Poly eliminated
*Brigham Young def. Southern Utah (30-31), 10-5
Southern Utah eliminated
Saturday
(7) Arizona St. (52-15) def. *Brigham Young (44-20), 6-3
BYU eliminated
(7) Arizona St. advances to NCAA Super Regional
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 def. Fresno St., 1-0 (9)
*Stanford def. Cal St. Northridge (23-23), 3-0
Cal St. Northridge eliminated
*Stanford def. Fresno St. (47-17), 1-0
Fresno St. eliminated
Saturday
(10) LSU (54-10) vs. *Stanford (35-20-1), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Rematch if necessary
Columbia Regional – May 18-20 at Columbia, S.C.
Live Stats
Friday
Oregon def. Penn St., 4-0
*South Carolina def. (15) NC State, 5-2
Saturday
Oregon def. *South Carolina, 8-4
(15) NC State def. Penn St. (26-25), 1-0
Penn St. eliminated
*South Carolina (35-24) vs. (15) NC State (42-20), 6 p.m.
Sunday
Oregon (44-17) 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
*(2) Northwestern def. Illinois St., 5-2
Notre Dame def. Wright St. (25-34), 3-0
Wright St. eliminated
Illinois St. def. Notre Dame (32-24), 3-1
Notre Dame eliminated
Sunday
*(2) Northwestern (47-11) vs. Illinois St. (44-16-1), noon
Rematch if necessary