OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – In the first of two games featuring the winners from day one of the 2015 Women’s College World Series, the No. 8 LSU softball team found itself in a pitcher’s duel early, as four straight runs by the No. 1 Florida Gators proved to be the difference as the Tigers fell 4-0 Friday evening at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium – OGE Field.
LSU (51-13) was held to only five hits on the afternoon, earning three of those in the first inning alone, while Florida (57-6) produced all four of its run on 10 hits, scoring three of the four via home runs to pull ahead of the Tigers in the end, while also benefiting from two LSU errors in the contest.
LSU’s Postgame Press Conference
“We’ve got to make adjustments. But ultimately I’m still really confident in our team,” head coach Beth Torina said. “I think we’re still in a good spot to make a good run at this. We still have plenty of pitching left. I feel really good about our chances, though.”
All five of LSU’s hits came from different spots in the order, as A.J. Andrews, Bailey Landry, Bianka Bell and Kellsi Kloss each had one at the top, while Emily Griggs was the lone player from the bottom half to garner a base knock.
“I would just say we need to flush it out, let everything go, just come back stronger tomorrow and just try to get the timely hits and make the timely plays when it’s needed and just get the job done,” Bell said.
Starting for the second consecutive game, LSU pitcher Carley Hoover (18-6) suffered the loss for the Tigers, allowing three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings of work with four walks and four strikeouts. Kelsee Selman came on in relief and pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout.
“I can’t think of a single time we haven’t come back stronger. We even beat Florida twice in the series in regular season,” Hoover said. “We scored nine runs in the first inning. That was great. I have 100 percent confidence in this team.”
Florida’s Lauren Haeger (30-1) produced both in the circle and at the plate for the Gators, going the distance toeing the rubber striking out four in the win, while hitting the two-run home run in the fifth to start the scoring for UF. Kirsti Merritt had three of their hits, while Nicole DeWitt had two hits and also hit a home run scoring twice.
Florida wasted little time trying to take advantage of batting first, as a leadoff triple nearly spelled doom for LSU in the first. Hoover would get her first strikeout of the day, but a walk and infield single loaded the bases to put the pressure on. Fortunately, an infield popup and another strikeout got the Tigers out of the jam keeping the game scoreless.
“It felt good. On top of the strikeout, our defense was strong all day,” Hoover said. “We made that double play. Everything that we were doing all day, we were really strong. So just hopefully our bats are working tomorrow.”
Andrews led off the bottom of the first like she has many times before, dribbling a single through the right side of the infield to reach first. Landry followed suit with a perfectly placed bunt down the left field line and legged out the single to put two on for the Tigers.
Bell lofted one high into left, finding the grass to load the bases for LSU with a chance to strike, but an infield grounder forced out Andrews at home for the first out, with a double play coming next to end the inning and keep the game knotted at zero.
After getting through the first two batters of the third, a hit batter with a stolen base and error put a runner in scoring position for Florida. A walk put runners at the corners, as another stolen base put two in scoring position for the Gators. Still, with two outs, Hoover came back and got her third strikeout to end the frame and keep UF off the board.
Florida finally broke through in the top of the fifth, as after an infield single put one on for the Gators, Haeger sent one to the bleachers in left to give UF the first lead at 2-0. A double play cleared the bases for Florida in the sixth, but a solo home run by Dewitt gave UF a 3-0 lead and ended her day as Selman came on to pitch and got a groundout to end the inning.
The Gators got an insurance run in the seventh, as with two runners on after a pair of singles, a stolen base would result in an errant throw allowing the run to cross the plate making it 4-0 Florida.
“I just think we have a lot of fight. And all of us want this really, really bad,” Kloss said. “We weren’t satisfied with just making it to the World Series. Our goal is to win it. It’s about how much fight you have. And I think this team has a lot of fight.”
LSU returns to action Saturday, taking Alabama – which eliminated Oregon on Saturday afternoon, 2-1 – at 8:30 p.m. CT in OKC in an elimination game that will be shown live on ESPN.
For all of the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can also follow the program on its social media outlets at www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball along with @lsusoftball and @BethTorina on Twitter and @lsusb on Instagram.
2015 Women’s College World Series
Oklahoma City, Okla. | ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
May 28 – June 2/3, 2015
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Game 1: 1 Florida def. 8 Tennessee, 7-2
Game 2: 5 LSU def. 4 Auburn, 6-1
Game 3: 3 Michigan def. 6 Alabama, 5-0
Game 4: 7 UCLA def. 2 Oregon, 7-1
Friday, May 29
Game 5: 1 Florida def. 5 LSU, 4-0
Game 6: 3 Michigan def. 7 UCLA, 10-4
Saturday, May 30
Game 7: 4 Auburn def. 8 Tennessee, 4-2 (Tennessee eliminated)
Game 8: 2 Oregon vs. 6 Alabama, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 9: 7 UCLA vs. 4 Auburn, 6 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 10: 5 LSU vs. Game 8 Winner, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Sunday, May 31
Game 11: 1 Florida vs. Game 9 Winner, 12 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 12: 3 Michigan vs. Game 10 Winner, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 13 (if nec.1): Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser, 6 p.m. (ESPN2)
Game 14 (if nec.2/3): Game 12 Winner vs. Game 12 Loser, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Monday, June 1
Championship Series Game 1: 7 p.m., ESPN2
Tuesday, June 2
Championship Series Game 2: 7 p.m., ESPN
Wednesday, June 3
Championship Series Game 3 (if nec.): 7 p.m., ESPN
Backet Notes:
1. If the winner of Game 9 defeats the winner of Game 5, the Game 13 is necessary.
2. If the winner of Game 10 defeats the winner of Game 6, then Game 14 is necessary.
3. If only 1 if necessary game is needed, it will be played at 6 p.m. on Sunday.