GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The eighth ranked LSU softball team split its Southeastern Conference opening day with the Florida Gators. The Tigers shutout the Gators 1-0 in game one before falling to Florida in the night cap 4-1.
“It was just a very disappointing day,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. “I think it was a lack luster effort by the team. The pitching was good enough to win the game. We made one error in the top of the sixth that opened up the scoring. Sometimes you live and die by one run, and we died. We are concerned about our hitting. I am looking for the bats we had in Arizona the first weekend.”
The Tigers scored the only run of game one when leadoff batter Dee Douglas reached base on a walk and scored on a sacrifice fly by Stephanie Hastings.
LSU junior pitcher Britni Sneed held the Gators to one hit until the bottom of the seventh when Florida threatened to score. The Gators had back-to-back singles by Ashley Boone and Mylin Prieto with one out. Sneed struck out Bree Berger before walking Emily Marino to load the bases with two outs. LSU catcher Jennifer Schuelke then tagged pinch runner Jenn Brown out at home for the third out and the Tigers’ first conference win.
Sneed had nine strikeouts and only one walk in the game to improve to 11-4 for the season. Sneed leads the Tigers with 135 Ks on the year. Gator pitcher Amanda Moore held the Tigers to just two hits with four strikeouts and two walks.
LSU pulled ahead first in game two when left fielder Trena Peel advanced to third on a wild pitch and then stole home when the defense was not paying attention.
Florida broke out in the fourth with four runs on three hits. First baseman Boone singled to right field to send home leadoff batter Jennifer Mossadeghi. Prieto then doubled to right field to send home Boone. Bree Berger then hit a two run homer to give the Florida Gators the 4-1 win.
Gator pitcher Renise Landry no-hit the Tigers. The no-hitter was the third of her career. Landry had seven strikeouts and four walks.
Tiger pitcher Ashley Lewis picked up her first loss of the season to move her record to 7-1. Lewis had three strikeouts and allowed two earned runs. Sneed relieved Lewis in the bottom of the sixth and had one strikeout and one earned run.
The Tigers will face Florida on Sunday at noon for the final game of the SEC opening weekend before returning home to Tiger Park for a double header against Louisiana Tech at 5:30 p.m.