CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Christy Connor’s fourth inning two-run home run lifted the third-ranked LSU Tigers to a 2-1 win over Mississippi State on Friday night at the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn.
“We finally decided to crush the mistake with two back-to-back hits by Hastings and Connor,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. We hit the ball hard in the next inning also, but it had no eyes. We got the job done when we needed to, and Britni made key pitches when she needed them the most.”
LSU improves to 51-9 overall, and Mississippi State falls to 36-25.
Mississippi State center fielder Kellie Wilkerson broke a 41-inning scoreless streak for Britni Sneed with a two-out bomb over the right field wall in the top of the third.
The Tigers answered back with a roar in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Stephanie Hastings led the inning off with a double to left field, and Christy Connor followed her with a two-run blast to center field to give LSU the 2-1 lead.
Sneed hurled her 26th complete game of the season in the win to run her record to 31-5. She allowed only two hits, one run, walked four and struck out 10.
The Tiger bats had only three hits off Bulldog pitchers Jennifer Pursell and Kasey Whitehead. Hastings tied former Tiger Ashlee Ducote for the school career double record with 52. Connor hit her sixth home run of the season.
The No. 1 seed Tigers will face the winner of the Auburn/Alabama game Saturday at 7 p.m. CDT in Chattanooga, Tenn., in the 12th game of the SEC Tournament.