BATON ROUGE, La. – In the first game of the 2016 LSU Invitational, the LSU softball team produced 17 runs on 16 hits to defeat the Memphis Tigers 17-2 in five innings Friday night.
LSU (15-2) put up four runs in two separate innings, and even after Memphis (6-12) scored two of their own to cut into LSU’s lead, the Tigers sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth to put the game on ice as the squad produced the most runs under head coach Beth Torina in her five years at the helm.
10 different LSU players earned hits on the day, paced by Emily Griggs and Amber Serrett who ended up with three each. Serrett went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Griggs went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Bianka Bell tied Serrett for the team lead in runs driven in with three, as both of her hits were doubles and two runs scored. Bailey Landry produced two hits and scored three times with an RBI, as LSU was just missing a triple for the team cycle as Sahvanna Jaquish belted a home run for her only hit with three runs scored.
Baylee Corbello (4-0) earned the win as she did not allow an earned run with two strikes and no walks in the victory. She needed just 79 pitches to get the job done, with 52 for strikes and allowing just two hits.
After sitting the visitors down in order in the opening frame of the contest, Constance Quinn got LSU’s offense going with a single through the right side. After she stole second, Griggs singled in the infield to put runners at the corners for the Tigers.
After two pitches, Bell roped a laser down the left field line to bring in both on the double to put LSU up 2-0. After a fly out, Kellsi Kloss put two back on after a fielding error at first allowed her to reach, as a fielder’s choice kept two on but put two outs on the board. Serrett laced one through the left side to score one, as the second Memphis error of the inning made it 4-0 LSU.
Memphis was able to cut LSU’s lead in half in the top of the third, getting a pair of runs on two hits and an error to pull with two at 4-2.
It didn’t take long for LSU to pull a run back, as Jaquish took enough pitches before seeing one she liked, drilling it to left center for the solo homer to put LSU up 5-2. After an out, singles from Landry and Serrett put two on, as the duo each earned a stolen base to put two in scoring position.
A walk to Sanchez loaded them up for LSU, as Sandra Simmons ripped one to left to plate two more to make it 7-2 on the single. After another grounder moved the two runners up, Griggs earned another infield single to drive in another run to put LSU up 8-2 before the inning ended with an out at the plate.
Bell drew a walk to open the bottom of the fourth inning, as another walk this time to Jaquish putting two on. A deep fly to right allowed the two to tag up and advance to second and third. A walk to Landry loaded the bases for LSU, as Serrett singled up the middle to score two and make it 10-2.
A fielding error allowed another run to score and kept runners on with the home side now up 11-2. Taylor Satchell came on to pinch hit and dropped one down the left field line for another run-scoring hit to make it 12-2. After a Memphis pitching change, the visitors were able to get an out, but LSU wasn’t done as Alayna Falcon came on to pinch hit and ripped a double to score two more to make it 14-2
Bell doubled to left, scoring Griggs who came back in to run at second for Falcon making it 15-2. Jaquish was plunked and put two on, as Jenna Kreamer came on to bat an laced a double down the right field line for the final two runs of the inning to put LSU up 16-2.
Landry put the final run on the board as she hit a single to left, plating Jaquish to put LSU up 17-2, getting the final three outs the team needed in the very next frame to earn the victory.
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.