BATON ROUGE — For the first time since 2002, the 12th-ranked LSU softball team has earned a series win over No. 16 Georgia as the Tigers won the first two games of the three-game Southeastern Conference season opening series on Saturday, 8-1 and 1-0, at Tiger Park.
With the wins, LSU improves to 18-4 on the year and 2-0 in league play. The losses dropped the Bulldogs to 19-7 overall and 0-2 in conference action. The two wins ensured the Tigers of their first series win over Georgia since the 2002 season, as the Bulldogs have won the last five series, including taking 2-of-3 last season in Athens. The pair will close out the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Tiger Park as LSU will be going for its first series sweep over Georgia since the 2002 season.
“The team was definitely geeked to play Georgia all week,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “They have been a thorn in our side for several years. They kept us from winning the SEC Championship last season and took two out of three from us at home two years ago.”
After a shaky start to the season in the circle, the Tiger pitching stepped up to the challenge on Saturday. LSU got a complete-game four-hitter from Dani Hofer in the first game, allowing just one run with two walks and 12 strikeouts. Cody Trahan then came away with a one-hit complete-game shutout in the nightcap. She allowed just a lone single and faced only one over the minimum with a walk and eight strikeouts.
“I am really pleased with Cody’s performance,” said Girouard. “I knew she could do it and she showed a lot of promise out here today. It was good to see both Dani and Cody throw the way they are capable of throwing. If we could take one pitch back, I think we could have ended the first game in the fifth inning. We got a lot of run support in the first game and then had to eke out the second game and take some chances. Hopefully we can make some adjustments real quick tomorrow.”
The first game was never close as the Tigers took control and never looked back. LSU came within a strike of ending the game in the fifth inning by the eight-run rule, but Georgia scored its only run of the contest to keep the game alive. The eight runs put on the board against the Bulldogs were the most scored by the Tigers since an 8-0 win in Athens in 2001.
The second game was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish. LSU scored the only run of the game on an RBI single by Jazz Jackson in the fifth inning that scored Tiffany Shaw from third. The manufactured run featured a walk, two stolen bases and an RBI single.
“Doubleheaders are tough,” said Girouard of the disparity in runs between games one and two. “To put one away and move on to the next one is hard. They had a definite change of pace with a drop ball pitcher then a rise ball pitcher. That happens a lot. Obviously we would like to score a lot sooner but I am really happy with the day.”
Jessica Mouse reached on a walk to get the rally started before Shaw came in to pinch run for her. Shaw stole second before Dee Dee Henderson was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. The pair then stole second and third to set up the game winner. Jackson then hit a shot through the left side that was laced between the third baseman and the shortstop, allowing Shaw to score.
Georgia had only two runners reach base in the entire game. Victoria Sanders singled just in front of a diving Jackson in left center in the top of the fourth. She was then caught stealing to end the threat. The only other runner of the game was on a sixth inning walk to Sojourner Moody, but she moved no farther than first.
In the first game, Henderson led off with a single up the middle. With one out and Henderson on second after a stolen base, she moved to third on an infield ground out by Jackson. A walk to Tayl’r Hollis put runners on the corners. Henderson then scored and Hollis moved to second on a wild pitch. A double to right field by Rachel Mitchell scored Hollis to give LSU the 2-0 advantage.
In the second inning, the Tigers batted around and then some as LSU put up six runs with two outs. With one out, Jessica Mouse hit her third career home run off the scoreboard in center field. Shannon Stein then drew a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. A single up the middle by Jackson scored Stein.
Back-to-back walks then loaded the bases. Killian Roessner hit her fifth double of the season, allowing Jackson, Hollis and Mitchell to come around and score. A single to left center by Quinlan Duhon scored Roessner to end the onslaught and put the Tigers ahead, 8-0.
In the top of the fifth inning, LSU had the chance to end the game early. Sanders led off with a single to left field. With two outs and two strikes, Alisa Goler extended the game with a double down the left field line that scored Sanders from first. After a walk to the next batter, Melissa Wood, Hofer retired the final seven batters in order to end the game.
Roessner went 2-for-6 on the day with a double and three RBI, while Jackson was 2-for-7 with two RBI, including the game winner in the second game. The Tigers stretched out the rest of their six remaining hits between six different batters as eight of the nine LSU starters had at least one hit on the day. Henderson extended her streak to 25 consecutive stolen bases without being thrown out with two more on the day. She has now stolen 17-of-17 this season and four away from moving into a tie for sixth in career stolen bases in SEC history.
Christie Hamilton took the complete-game loss in game one to fall to 6-2 on the season. She allowed eight runs on eight hits with eight walks and four strikeouts. Sarah McCloud started and took the loss in game two to fall to 3-2 on the year. She allowed one run on one hit with three walks and a strikeout in four and a third innings. Kate Gaskill came on in relief and gave up one hit with three strikeouts over the final inning and two-thirds.
Georgia 000 010 0 – 1 4 0
LSU 260 000 x – 8 8 1
Christie Hamilton and Melissa Wood. Dani Hofer and Killian Roessner. WP ? Hofer (9-2). LP ? Hamilton (6-2). S ? None. HR ? Jessica Mouse. T ? 2:07.
Georgia 000 000 0 – 0 1 0
LSU 000 010 x – 1 2 0
Sarah McCloud, Kate Gaskill (5) and Melissa Wood. Cody Trahan and Killian Roessner. WP ? Trahan (6-1). LP ? McCloud (3-2). S ? None. T ? 1:27. A ? 883.