COLUMBIA, S.C. — Despite a furious comeback in game two, the 15th-ranked LSU softball team split a doubleheader at South Carolina, winning the first game, 5-3, before falling in game two, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at Beckham Field.
With the split, the Tigers moved to 40-15 on the season and 16-11 in SEC play. The Gamecocks moved to 21-25 overall and 8-17 in conference action. The pair will meet in the rubber match on Sunday at noon CDT.
LSU will likely need a win to finish in third place in the conference standings and earn the third seed in the tournament. South Carolina needs a win to advance to the SEC Tournament as a loss would put the Gamecocks as the ninth team and out of the tournament.
“We’ve got to learn that we have to play every pitch and fight for every pitch,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We had a lot of synergy in the dugout from the sixth inning on in game two, but we need that from the first. Hopefully we’ll understand that and comeback ready to play tomorrow.”
In the first game, Quinlan Duhon and Rachel Mitchell each recorded a pair of hits as Duhon recorded a home run and four RBIs. LSU jumped out early and held on late in the game for the win. Shannon Stein and Jessica Mouse each posted a pair of hits in game two with Stein coming away with a double and two RBIs. After falling behind early, the Tigers mounted a furious comeback, but could not push across the tying or go-ahead runs in the seventh.
“We woke up a little too late in that last game,” said Girouard. “South Carolina looked like they were done after about five innings in that first game, but give credit to them because they came back fighting.”
Cody Trahan started and earned the win in the first game to improve to 16-4 on the season. She allowed three runs on three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in five and a third innings. Casey Faile came on in relief to earn her first save of the season. She struck out four in an inning and two-thirds.
In the second game, Tiffany Garcia started and took the loss to fall to 3-3 in the circle. She gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits with a walk in an inning. Faile came on once again in relief and gave up one run on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in the final five innings.
In the top of the first of game one, Duhon put the Tigers on top with a two-run home run. Shannon Stein drew a one-out walk. With two outs, Duhon came through with her eighth home run of the season on a shot to left center field. It also marked the senior’s 27th career home run, moving her into a tie with Camille Harris and Tara Asbill for the third most career home runs in LSU softball history.
The Tigers added three more runs in the top of the third. Jazz Jackson led off the inning with a walk. She moved to second on a sacrifice attempt by Dee Dee Henderson as Henderson reached on the fielding error by the pitcher. Stein then reached on the fielder’s choice as Jackson was out going to third.
With runners on first and second, Mitchell doubled to right center to score Henderson and push Stein to third. Duhon then recorded her 10th double of the season to score both Stein and Mitchell. The 35th double of Duhon’s career moved her into sole possession of 10th place on the all time standings.
Trahan had the game in complete control until the sixth inning. The sophomore hurler had a no-hitter and had faced the minimum through six and a third before surrendering her first hit. South Carolina then had four more batters reach base in a row. The Gamecocks scored their first run on an RBI double by Ashton Payne. South Carolina added two more on an RBI single by Laura Mendes.
With still only one out, Faile came on in relief of Trahan with runners on second and third. On a full count pitch to the first batter she faced, Faile hit her to load the bases. The South Carolina native then struck out the next two batters to end the inning to a standing ovation from her local fans. Faile then retired the final three batters in order in the seventh to earn her first save of the season.
Melissa Hendon took the complete game loss to fall to 8-15 on the season. She allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
In the second game, South Carolina jumped on the board early. Ashlton Payne led off with an infield single and was sacrificed down to second. With two outs, Jill Semento drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Jessica Josker then singled to left field, allowing Payne to come around and score.
The Gamecocks added two more runs in the bottom of the second. Becky Martinez reached on an error by Jessica Mouse to start the inning. On a single up the middle by Cassie Gogreve, Martinez advanced to second before coming around to score on a double over the head of Jackson in left field. A single up the middle by Payn scored Gogreve for the 3-0 South Carolina lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Tigers broke through with a run in the top of the fifth. With one out, Tayl’r Hollis singled to center field. She moved to third on a single to right center by Mouse. On a bloop single to left field by Jackson, Hollis scored from third to cut the Gamecock lead to 3-1.
South Carolina got the run back in the bottom of the sixth Gogreve led off with a single to left field. Whitney Wierzbicki, pinch running for Gogreve, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, Lindsay Walker singled to center field. Wierzbicki came around to score just ahead of the tag of Killian Roessner at the plate. Walker was then thrown out attempting to go to third on the play to end the inning.
LSU would not go away quietly. With one out, Mouse singled to right field after fouling off several pitches. Jackson then reached on an error by the first baseman as Mouse advanced to second. Faile helped her cause with a hard-hit single off the shortstop to load the bases. Henderson then came on to run for Faile at first.
With the bases loaded, Stein doubled to left field just beyond the reach of the left fielder, allowing Mouse and Jackson to score and putting Henderson on third and Stein on second. Mitchell lined out on a hard hit shot to the shortstop for the second out of the inning. Duhon then grounded out to the shortstop on a hard hit ball to end the game.
Krystle Robinson started and earned the win, coming back off the bench in the seventh to complete the game. She allowed one run on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Pouliot gave up two runs, one earned, on five hits with a strikeout in two innings.
LSU 203 000 0 – 5 6 0
USC 000 003 0 – 3 3 1
Cody Trahan, Casey Faile (6) and Killian Roessner. Melissa Hendon and P.J. Fulmer. WP ? Trahan (16-4). LP ? Hendon (8-15). S ? Faile (1). HR ? Quinlan Duhon. T ? 1:51.
LSU 000 010 2 – 3 7 1
USC 120 001 x – 4 9 1
Tiffany Garcia, Casey Faile (2) and Killian Roessner. Krystle Robinson, Kate Pouliot (5), Robinson (7) and Cassie Gogreve. WP ? Robinson (8-6). LP ? Garcia (3-3). S ? None. T ? 1:50. A ? 761.