BATON ROUGE — Erin Johnson hit a two-RBI single in the top of the sixth and Britni Sneed withstood a two-run homer in the bottom of the innings as LSU advanced to face UL-Lafayette in the NCAA Regional Final, 3-2, over Arizona State on Saturday afternoon in Tiger Park.
LSU (56-9) will play UL-Lafayette at 1 p.m. on Sunday in the championship round.
The Tigers must be beaten twice on Sunday to be eliminated. Should LSU win one of two, the Tigers would make the first Women’s College World Series appearance in the school’s fifth year of softball since the sport’s reinstatement.
Starting pitcher Britni Sneed’s 100-plus home scoreless innings streak was broken by a two-run homer by Arizona State’s Kara Brun in the sixth that narrowed LSU’s 3-0 lead to 3-2.
Sneed (34-5) got out of the jam in the sixth when Tiger catcher Jennifer Schuelke picked off ASU pinch runner Felicia Romero at second base for the third out.
The Tigers opened up the three-run lead by manufacturing a Dee Douglas run in the top of the first off ASU starter Erica Beach (17-11). Douglas singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Trena Peel.
In the top of the sixth, Stephanie Hastings hit a one-out single before Christy Connor walked to open the inning. Peel’s hit into a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a run-down to run runners on second and third for Johnson’s two-run single.
Sneed struck out 10 in the complete-game effort, while walking two and allowing five hits, including her 10th homer allowed this season.
Five-Run Fifth Propels ULL Into Regional Championship, 5-0
BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana-Lafayette Lady Cajuns scored five runs in the top of the fifth innings and starting pitcher Melissa Coronado pitched a one-hit shutout to advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship game against LSU, 5-0, on Saturday evening in Baton Rouge.
Along the way, Coronado walked only one while striking out two to eliminate the No. 2 seeded Sun Devils and end their season at 36-22. She also set the ULL school record with 35 victories in the 2001 season to improve to 35-8.
Arizona State starter Kirsten Voak was cruising along with a two hitter through 4 1/3 before the Lady Cajuns exploded for the five spot.
With one out, Tiffany Grayson doubled before pinch hitter Cyndy Repici, Heather Bertrand and Jill Robertson all walked to give ULL a 1-0 lead.
After picking up the second out on a foul out, Voak surrendered back-to-back two-RBI doubles to Alana Addison and Missy Martin before being relieved by Erica Beach. But the damage was done, and Coronado’s dominance proved to be too much for the Sun Devils to handle.
LSU and ULL will meet in the championship round beginning at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Tiger Park. An LSU victory would eliminate the Lady Cajuns, while ULL needs to win twice to advance to the Women’s College World Series.
LSU will be seeking its first WCWS appearance, while former-ULL head coach Yvette Girouard looks for her fourth.
The Tigers and Lady Cajuns split a doubleheader on April 18 in Lafayette, with ULL winning game 1, 2-1, and LSU taking game 2, 5-0.