CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Breaking the Southeastern Conference Tournament strikeout record, senior All-American Britni Sneed was named the tournament Most Valuable Player as the third-ranked Tigers defeated No. 25 Georgia, 1-0, in the championship game.
LSU (53-9) used an unearned run in the second inning and outstanding pitching to hold off the Bulldogs (57-15) for the title. The Tigers becomes the first SEC school to win back-to-back tournament titles and has now won three of the last four.
“I was kind of holding my breath toward the end of the game because Georgia has so much team speed and they can manufacture a lot of runs,” said LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. “It was a goal of ours to win all three SEC titles, the Western Division, the regular season championship and the tournament championship. We have accomplished all of these goals and I am real proud of our kids for the season they have had so far.”
The Tigers will now await the announcement of NCAA pairings that will be released on Sunday night. Regional play begins on Thursday at eight host sites around the nation.
Sneed earned the complete-game shutout victory for LSU, improving to 31-6 on the season. In her 22nd shutout of the year, she allowed four hits and one walk while striking out a tournament individual and team single-game record 14 batters.
In addition to Sneed’s MVP honor, the Tigers placed two on the All-Tournament team. First baseman Christy Connor and outfielder Trena Peel were both named to the team.
Although LSU hit the ball hard in the first inning, they could not convert on a one out walk. With one out in the second, Julie Wiese drew a walk. She advanced to second on an infield single by Blair Smith.
After a Jennie Reeves walk, Wiese scored from third on an error by Bulldog Michelle Tyree on a groundball to shortstop that she bobbled and took away a play at any base. That run was the only scoring in the game for either team.
Trena Peel then came up and hit the ball on the nose to right field, but Amy Brannan caught the line drive and threw Smith out retreating to first base for the Georgia double play to end the inning.
LSU threatened again in the third inning as Christy Connor hit a one-out single through the right side. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, Erin Johnson drew a walk to put runner on first and second.
Connor was out at third on the Tessa Lynam fielder’s choice before Wiese flied out to deep centerfield to end the inning.
After striking our nine of the first 10 batters she faced, Sneed got into her first trouble of the game in the fourth. With one out, Kim Wendland poked a single into right centerfield.
With two outs, Shannon McKeon drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Sneed then got Michelle Green to strikeout looking to end the inning.
LSU threatened again in the sixth, Wiese reached on a fielder’s choice with one out. She advanced to second on a passed ball. On an infield groundout by Megann Steege, she advanced to third. Leigh Ann Danos, pinch hitting for Reeves, grounded out to the shortstop to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the inning, Nicole Barber led off with a single for Georgia. The NCAA leader in stolen bases was then caught stealing when Tiger shortstop Blair Smith applied the tag after Barber slid through the bag at second on the attempt.
A single to left field by Katie Lewis followed before consecutive fly balls ended the inning.
The Bulldogs went down in order in the seventh to end the game.