OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Redshirt freshman Julie Wiese’s fifth inning home run lifted the LSU Tiger softball team to a 2-1 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Women’s College World Series at the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“What a whale of a game,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “We knew there would be no quitting from the Iowa team. Once Ashley settled down and was in her grove, we played great defense behind her. Erin Johnson came up with a big hit to start us off and Wiese gets up and ties the school home run record. She is just a freshman, and you have to smile at that.”
The Tigers now face the defending national champion Oklahoma Sooners in an 8:30 p.m. night cap. The game will be televised live by ESPN2 on Baton Rouge cable channel 57. The LSU Sports Network will carry the game on 107.3 FM and over the Internet at www.LSUsports.net.
After having runner’s interference and batter’s interference called in the first inning, the game went hitless until the fourth inning when the Hawkeyes’ Katy Jendrzejewski singled up the middle to start the inning and advanced to second on the throw to put runners on second and third with no outs. Tiger Jennie Reeves caught Alicia Gerlach in a rundown attempting to score from third for the second out of the inning, and LSU came out of the half inning unharmed.
Erin Johnson got the Tigers going in the top of the fifth with a double to right center. Freshman Wiese stepped to the plate and launched a two run homer to left field to put LSU on the board. The home run was her 12th of the season, which ties former Tiger Tara Asbill for the most home runs in a single season.
“I knew it was enough to move the runner, and that was what I was concerned with doing,” said Wiese. “I was just happy when it went over.”
The Hawkeyes threatened in the bottom of the seventh when Alicia Gerlach singled with runners on first and third to send home their only run, but LSU right fielder Trena Peel gunned out the base runner at third base to end the game and seal the Tiger victory.
Iowa had eight hits off senior hurler Ashley Lewis, who picked up the win. Lewis is now 21-4 on the season. She allowed one run, walked two and struck out three.
“Everyone was heads up on defense today, and that is what I need as a pitcher,” said Lewis. “I was really glad that they were behind me.”
Kristi Hanks ended her season with a record of 39-9. She allowed five Tiger hits, two runs, walked one and struck out two.