PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The No. 20 LSU softball team used a four-run seventh inning to notch a 7-4 comeback victory over Cal Poly Sunday at the Big League Dreams Complex.
The Tigers (12-5) used multi-hit efforts from Lauren Houston and Tammy Wray as the duo combined for five of LSU’s seven RBIs.
LSU batted around the lineup during the final frame as pinch hitter Jacee Blades was hit-by-a-pitch to ignite the rally. After a Simone Heyward sacrifice bunt, Tiffany Shaw chopped an infield single.
Pinch hitter Morgan Russell grounded out to third base, but Blades used some nifty base running to slide around the tag to load the bases. Wray provided the equalizer four pitches later with a single to centerfield.
“Tammy has really been an asset to our team,” head coach Yvette Girouard said. “She has played a phenomenal third base with Jessica Mouse out and is coming up with big RBI hits when we need them. So far so good, she’s everything we wanted her to be when we recruited her.”
Two batters later, Juliana Santos coaxed a walk to surge LSU to a 5-4 lead. Lauren Houston wrapped up the four-run inning and cranked a two-run double down the left field line to extend the Tiger advantage to 7-4.
“Lauren has so much more confidence swinging the bat,” Girouard said. “She had a great weekend with the bat and handled the pitchers well behind the plate.”
Rachele Fico worked around a one-out single and provided consecutive strikeouts to close out the 7-4 triumph. With the win in relief, Fico moved to 4-4 on the season.
Meghan Patterson also provided 3.2 innings of two-hit relief. The Destrehan native racked up eight strikeouts against one walk.
“I thought Meghan came in and gave us tremendous relief,” Girouard said. “We were kind of sluggish with the early morning game and didn’t look as sharp as we needed to be. Meghan was the one to give us that little spark and was a steady calm in the circle.”
The two teams traded two-out RBI singles by Ashley Langoni and Anna Cahn during the first inning.
Wray put the Tigers back ahead 3-1 in the third inning with a two-run homer to left field, but Cal Poly answered with two runs in the home half of the frame on Rebecca Paton and Mariah Cochiolo bases loaded walks to draw even at 3-3.
With a runner on second base and two outs during the sixth inning, the Mustangs took a 4-3 edge after two illegal pitches were called on Fico.
LSU returns home to close out the non-conference tournament schedule as Hofstra, Pittsburgh and Texas visit Tiger Park.
Live stats for every game of the Purple & Gold Challenge will be available on www.LSUsports.net/livestats and fans can follow in-games updates via the program’s social media pages at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball and Twitter.com/LSU_Softball.