Strong performances at the plate and the circle
The Tigers picked up their second straight series win, sweeping South Carolina over a three-game series in Tiger Park highlighted by strong efforts both from the circle and at the plate.
LSU pitching very much stood out in this series with the Gamecocks scoring just three runs and the Tigers pitching shutouts in game one and three. In the series opener, Ali Kilponen tossed a complete game striking out ten and allowing three hits. In a combined efforts in game two, Shelby Wickersham got the start but lasted just two and a third innings allowing three runs on four hits and two strikeouts. Her relief was Raelin Chafin who shutout USC for the remainder of the game, allowing just a hit and striking out seven. In the final Shelbi Sunseri threw a six-inning shutout, allowing four hits and a walk and adding five strikeouts.
In game one, the Tiger offense was held mostly in check, even though they won 4-0. The scoring began when Sunseri hit a two-run home run in the second. In the fifth the Tigers plated two runs when a fielding error on a fielders choice scored Sydney Peterson and Cait Calland.
Game two was a comeback effort, as the Tigers were trailing 3-0 after three innings. The Tiger scoring began with a two-run fourth thanks to a Danieca Coffee RBI double, and then a run scoring error, when Coffee scored on a fielding error. The scoring in the third inning began with Ali Newland scoring an error. A few batters later Ciarra Briggs had a bases clearing RBI triple and would come home to score the next batter when Taylor Pleasants singled to right.
The finale was Tigers from the start. LSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first after a Georgia Clark RBI single and a fieling error that scored Clark and Pleasants. In the fourth, with the Tigers up by four runs, Sunseri launched a two-run homer to left. In the sixth a pair of doubles from Newland and McKenzie Redoutey pushed the Tigers up to 8-0, which would also be the final score of the game.
With these two series wins the Tigers are now sitting squarely in the middle of the SEC standings. Granted both series wins have come against the bottom two teams in the conference standings, but they do provide something of a confidence boost for a team which had been struggling in SEC play as of two weeks ago.
Up next, the Tigers head to Lake Charles for a Tuesday night game against McNeese and then head to Athens for a three game stretch against Georgia.
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