(Photo Courtesy of LSU Athletics)
Game 2: LSU 8, Cal State Fullerton 1
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Coming off a sweep of day one that included a 6-3 win over No. 3 Washington, the LSU softball team split games against No. 6 Oregon and Cal State Fullerton on day two of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic late Friday.
The Tigers bounced back from a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Ducks by erupting for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth to beat the Titans, 8-1, in a nightcap that ended just before 1 a.m. CT.
In the sixth, the Tigers send 11 batters to the plate and put together eight hits including a two-RBI triple by A.J. Andrews, a two-RBI double by Bianka Bell and a three-run home run by Sahvanna Jaquish. LSU had a chance to end the game on a run-rule, but Allison Falcon was called out at home attempting an inside-the-park home run.
Starter Baylee Corbello (5-2) took home the victory over Cal State Fullerton by giving up only one run on six hits.
LSU (11-5) wraps up the three-day tournament against 13th-ranked Stanford (13-1) at 4:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. Stanford suffered its first loss of the season during its first day of tournament action Frirday, 7-1, to No. 15 Baylor.
Check back for the complete game two recap.
Game One: Oregon 4, LSU 1
Trailing the entire game, the LSU softball team never quit and had multiple chances to put No. 6 Oregon on the ropes, but the Tigers were only able to manage one run on six hits, powered by Bianka Bell’s fifth home run of the season to fall to the Ducks 4-1 in the first game for the team at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Friday.
LSU (10-5) stranded nine runners over the course of the contest, including having a bases-loaded situation in the final inning to possibly tie or end the game with one swing of the bat.
Jacee Blades led LSU, earning four of the Tigers’ six hits on the night in four at-bats, while Bell had the only RBI and run for the team with her solo shot. Bailey Landry was the only other player to earn a hit on the evening for LSU.
Ashley Czechner took the loss, falling to 5-3 on the season after giving up all four runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and six walks in seven innings. Her counterpart in Oregon’s Cheridan Hawkins earned the complete game victory after allowing just one run with 12 strikeouts to just three walks.
After Oregon got a two-run home run from Janelle Lindvall in the top of the first to give the Ducks a 2-0 lead, LSU came back in the bottom half of the inning and led off with a walk to A.J Andrews to put one on. Blades legged out a bunt single to give the Tigers two on base, but LSU wouldn’t be able to get anything to cross as the next three went down in order to end the frame.
Blades earned her second hit of the game and second hit for the Tigers as a group with a single back to the pitcher to reach first, advancing to second on a wild pitch to get into scoring position with two outs on the board. The left fielder getting on snapped a streak of eight consecutive batters retired, but she was left stranded on second to end the inning.
After struggling at the plate, LSU got the spark it needed from Bell who took a 1-1 pitch left over the plate over the fence in center to cut the deficit to one to open the bottom of the fourth.
In the fifth, LSU worked out of a big jam that began with bunt single by Oregon. Czechner got a strikeout and a successful pick off attempted at first cleared the bases. A single up the middle put a runner back on, as a walk put two on with two outs. Fortunately, Tammy Wray made a diving catch to stop a grounder from poking through the left side and threw the runner out at first to end the inning.
LSU put together its best chance to put the Ducks on the ropes in the sixth, as Landry singled with a bunt with one out to reach first. After a sacrifice bunt by Andrews to advance Landry to second, Blades connected again for an infield single to put runners at the corners. Unfortunately, a fly ball to center ended the inning with the tying run 90 feet from the plate.
In the sixth with two outs, Sahvanna Jaquish reached first after an error at second base. Alex Boulet came on to pinch run for Jaquish, and stole second base to get into scoring position. However, a fly out to right field ended the inning.
Oregon came back in the top of the seventh and scored two runs on one hit to go up 4-1, but LSU didn’t give up, as with two outs Andrews reached with a walk. On the very next play, Blades dove to first on a single, allowing Andrews to take second then third on the throw, with Blades moving to second. Simmons got on with a walk to load the bases, but a strikeout looking ended the game giving Oregon the win.
