COLUMBUS, Ga. — A two-out single to right field by South Carolina’s Megan Donohoo pushed the Gamecocks to a 1-0 victory over LSU in an eight-inning championship game of the Southeastern Conference Softball Tournament Sunday at South Commons Stadium.
Donohoo was in the game subbing for designated player Debralee Troesh, who injured her hand while at bat in the fourth inning.
LSU and pitcher Ashley Lewis had gotten two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning with Joyce McMillin on first by way of a fielder’s choice. Kendra McCutcheon then rolled a ground ball to second which Stephanie Hastings mishandled putting runners on first and second base.
Donohoo then stepped up for the climatic at-bat, driving a 2-2 pitch down the right field line. Trena Peel tried to dive for the ball, but it one-hopped her glove and rolled to the fence allowing McMillian to easily score with the championship run.
USC becomes the first two-time SEC Tournament Champion with the victory and as the tournament’s seventh seed the lowest to ever win the tournament. The win gives the 39-26 and 25th-ranked Gamecocks the automatic bid from the SEC to the NCAA regional round which begins on Thursday.
“It was a great game,” said South Carolina coach Joyce Compton. “It wasn’t the prettiest game offensively for us, but we figured a way to score. “Donohoo has been a starter most of the season for us and had struggled this weekend, but I couldn’t be prouder for her. (Matthews) wanted the ball and that’s the type of game she’s been all year.”
LSU drops to 56-11 for the season and is expected to get an at-large big later Sunday evening. It marks LSU first loss in the tournament after seven straight victories.
The Tigers had their own chances to break through in extra innings in the top-half of the eighth inning off South Carolina pitcher Megan Matthews. Dee Douglas led off the eighth with a single and then was called out trying to steal second, a call Glenn Moore argued and television replays appeared to show was missed by umpire Diane Beasley.
With two out, Tara Asbill and Ashley Ducote both singled and an outfield error put runners on second and third for Shaunte’ Fremin, who flew out to center field, giving South Carolina its chance to win the game.
The game was one of ebbs and flows, but one in which defense dominated led by the pitching of Lewis (21-4) and Matthews (25-15), who had pitched USC into the final earlier Sunday in a 2-1 decision over Arkansas.
For Lewis it had to be an exceedingly tough loss, giving up just three hits over the eight innings.
“It was a great game,” said LSU Coach Glenn Moore. “We had eight hits to their three. It comes down to needing a break or two and it didn’t go our way. Ashley pitched one of her better games not feeling her best. You’ve got to give a lot of respect to South Carolina for the way they battled, playing two games. I’m disappointed in the (four) errors because we are better than that. But we put ourselves in position to win the game many more times then they did. That was a character builder. Not everything is fair and not everything goes your way all the time.”
South Carolina had the only chances of the first three innings, getting a runner on in each inning while LSU was going down in order. The best scoring chance for the Lady Gamecocks came in the third when No. 9 hitter Jodi Fittro led off with a double to right field.
Fittro moved to third on the first out of the inning, a come backer to the circle to Lewis and then Lewis retired the next two hitters to end the threat.
LSU’ first threat came in the fourth with two outs as Asbill reached on an infield error by third baseman Sandra Hall and Ducote singled to right field to put runners on the corners for Fremin, who ended the inning with a fly ball to left field.
The Tigers then proceeded to put Matthews on the defensive in the fifth, loading the bases with one out on a hit by Jen Schuelke, a bunt single by Trena Peel and a single by Stacey Newton. But Douglas forced a run out at home on a grounder to third and then Hastings hit a ball back to Matthews who threw to first to retire the side.
In the sixth and seventh, only one runner reached base for each team with neither advancing past first base.
Hastings, Douglas Sneed and Lewis were the LSU players named to the All-Tournament team. Matthews was named the tournament MVP.
“This weekend was a dress rehearsal (for the NCAA Regional),” said Moore. “That’s why I said it wasn’t a huge goal to win this tournament. Yeah, it hurts to watch them celebrate, but they deserve it. To bring home another SEC Tournament trophy is nice, but we want to go a step further with this program. This is to prepare us for the Regionals, win it and go to the World Series. You can afford to slip up in the dress rehearsal and forget your lines. Next week is the real show.”