PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The No. 4 LSU softball team scored multiple runs in three consecutive innings, including scoring four in the second en route to a 10-5 win over the No. 8 UCLA Bruins to close out play at the 2016 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Sunday in Palm Springs.
The Tigers (8-2) all 10 of its runs on 11 hits, scoring four in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth to take a comfortable lead, getting an insurance run in the seventh and thwarting Bruin (6-3) comeback bids later in the contest.
Eight different LSU players produced hits against UCLA on the day, led by Constance Quinn, Amber Serrett and Sandra Simmons each producing two. All three also drove in two RBIs against the Bruins, with Serrett and Simmons each scoring twice.
Carley Hoover (4-0) remained unbeaten on the season as she pitched 5.1 innings, allowing five runs on 12 hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. Allie Walljasper came in to pitch in relief and got the job done tossing the final 1.2, giving up one hit with two strikeouts in her third appearance of the weekend.
UCLA’s Selina Ta’amilo (5-1) suffered the loss after allowing six runs on five hits in 2.2 innings, with two strikeouts and three walks. Johanna Grauer pitched the remaining 4.1 innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out one with two walks. Bruin pitchers were done in by illegal pitches, with three being called in crucial spots.
Six Bruin hitters finished with two hits, with Mysha Sataraka driving in two and scoring once.
UCLA took to the bottom of the opening frame and got back-to-back hits to put two on quickly for the Bruins. Hoover got a strikeout, but a wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third. The sophomore would get another strikeout to put two outs on the board, ending the inning with a strikeout to get out of the jam.
In the top of the second, Kellsi Kloss opened the inning with a chopping single up the middle to reach first. She eventually moved to second and then third on illegal pitches, with Bailey Landry getting walked on the second one to put runners at the corners. That proved costly as Serrett ripped a ground-rule double to right center, scoring Kloss to make it 1-0 LSU with runners now at second and third.
LSU got consecutive outs, with Serrett now at third base just steps from home, Simmons was walked to put runners at the corners. She stole second to put two in scoring position and it proved to be a good move as Quinn hit a single to score both to make it 3-0 Tigers. Quinn stole second, and it set up Emily Griggs for an infield single that scored the run to make it 4-0 LSU.
The Bruins were still aggressive offensively, as in the bottom of the second got a single and an LSU error to put two on. A strikeout put an out on the board, as a grounder to second advanced the runners but gave UCLA its second out. Still, an infield single loaded the bases to ratchet up the pressure again, but not before an easy roller to first ended the inning.
Kloss opened the third getting hit on the opening pitch to take first. A grounder advanced her to second, with a walk to Serrett putting two on. Another UCLA illegal pitch pushed the two to second and third with LSU looking to strike. After a strikeout, Simmons came through with a single to right to drive in both to put LSU up 6-0.
Down by six, UCLA belted back-to-back solo home runs in the first two at-bats of the bottom half of the third to cut LSU’s lead back to four at 6-2.
Griggs drew a leadoff walk to open the fourth, moving to second after a wild pitch. Sahvanna Jaquish singled through the left side to put runners at the corners, with Bianka Bell ripping one through that side right after to put LSU up 7-2. Kloss sacrificed the runners over to second and third, and Landry battled to rip a single through the right side to make it 8-2.
Serrett dribbled one through the gap between second and third base to score Bell and make it 9-2 Tigers. Jenna Kreamer reached on a fielder’s choice as everyone was safe to load the bases for LSU, but LSU would not be able to bring in another run as two outs ended the frame.
UCLA got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth, earning three hits in the frame as LSU led at that point 9-4.
After a ground out, a single would be the last hit given up for Hoover in the contest, as Walljasper came on in the bottom of the sixth in relief. After giving up a hit, a deep fly to center brought in a run on the sacrifice fly, but got the next to pop up to center to get out of the inning with LSU leading 9-5.
LSU got some insurance as Simmons opened the seventh with a single, as Quinn rolled one perfectly down the third base line to stay fair on the bunt single to put two on. Griggs grounded out to second to advance the runners, to second and third, with Jaquish flying out to right for the sac fly to make it 10-5.
LSU returns to action on Wednesday, hosting the South Alabama Jaguars at 6 p.m. in Tiger Park.
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