AUBURN, Ala. — The fourth-ranked Southeastern Conference Champion LSU Tiger softball team fell, 7-3, to the Auburn Tigers on Sunday in Alabama.
“It was not a good day in the ballpark for LSU,” said head coach Yvette Girouard. “We tried to do some different things, and we were not completely focused. I was a bit disappointed in that. This game is over, and we will meet them again Thursday night now and come out strong.”
LSU moves to 49-9 on the season and 24-6 in the SEC. Auburn improves to 29-30 overall and 10-20 in the SEC.
Stephanie Hastings got things started for LSU with a long ball over the center field wall to put the Tigers up 1-0.
However, Auburn pulled ahead of the LSU in the bottom of the second with two runs on four hits. Kimball Pratt singled up the middle to knock in Martha Phillips. Ashley Moore hit a two out double to left center to send home Jen Kraemer.
Auburn added a third run in the bottom of the third when Kraemer singled down the left field line to send Michelle Martin home to score.
Trena Peel narrowed the Auburn lead in the top of the fourth with her third home run of the series to put the score at 3-2. Hastings made it home on a wild pitch from Mary Petrie and tied the score at 3-3 for LSU in the top of the sixth.
Petrie came back in the bottom of the inning with a bases-loaded double to center field to clear the bases and put Auburn up 7-3 for the win.
Freshman Sarah Meadors got her first start in the circle as a Tiger. Meadors threw three and one-third innings, giving up eight hits, three runs and striking out three. Meadors is now 2-1 on the season. Ashley Lewis hurled two innings in relief. She allowed only two hits, four unearned runs and struck out two.
The Auburn Tigers out hit LSU 10-4. Hastings hit her fifth home run of the season, and Peel extended her hitting streak to 12 games with her ninth homer.
The Tigers are the No. 1 seed at the SEC Tournament to be held in Chattanooga, Tenn. LSU will face the No. 8 seed Auburn Tigers at 8 p.m. on Thursday. All postseason play will be carried by the LSU Sports Network on 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge and over the Internet at www.LSUsports.net.