BATON ROUGE – The No. 8 LSU softball team defeated Auburn 9-1 in six innings after two rain delays. Game two was suspended until 10 a.m. Sunday morning after two and a half innings of play with LSU leading 4-0.
Game one went one and a half innings before going into a three hour and 53 minute rain delay. The LSU Tigers retired the first three batters in the first half of the inning with LSU pitcher Britni Sneed striking out two.
For LSU in the bottom of the first, left fielder Dee Douglas singled to start the inning for the Tigers and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Stephanie Hastings. She scored on a single to center field by third baseman Ashlee Ducote. Ducote then stole second and third. The game was called with two outs, Ducote on third and first baseman Shaunte’ Fremin at bat. When the game was resumed, the LSU Tigers finished the inning ahead of the Auburn Tigers 1-0.
In the bottom of the second, LSU struck again. Right fielder Trena Peel got a walk to start the inning and scored when designated hitter Megann Steege ripped a double to center field. Steege then scored when center fielder Stacey Newton slammed a double into center field. Newton scored the Tigers last run of the inning when Hastings singled to the shortstop. Going into the third LSU led Auburn 4-0.
In the top of the third, Auburn sent a runner across home plate when left fielder Marcella Passarelli homered for Auburn’s only hit and run of the game.
The Tigers answered back in the bottom of the third when Ducote singled to right field and scored on a single by Steege to put LSU up 5-1.
LSU scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Douglas, Hastings and Asbill all crossed the plate for the Tigers to make the score 8-1.
It was the bottom of the sixth when Douglas launched a triple to right center and scored on a single by Hastings. The Tigers won the game on an eight run ruling with a score of 9-1.
Pitcher Britni Sneed picked up the win improving her record to 8-5. Sneed went four and a third innings with only one hit and eight strikeouts. Douglas pitched one and two thirds innings with no hits and one strikeout.
The Tiger batters had 10 hits off of pitcher Jennifer Joiner. Ducote was 3-for-3 at the plate, and Hastings was 2-for-2.
In game two, the Tigers came out strong scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Douglas scored on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Shaunte’ Fremin. Right fielder Trena Peel ripped a single to right field to score Asbill and Hastings to put LSU up 3-0.
In the bottom of the third, Hastings singled on a bunt and scored on a double to left field making the score 4-0. The game was suspended at this point due to rain and will begin again at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning.