April 23, 2016
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 14/15 LSU (35-13, 9-11 SEC) tallied an 8-0 win in five innings on Saturday night over South Carolina (32-15, 5-12 SEC) at Tiger Park.
LSU claimed the 1-0 lead in the first on senior Bianka Bell’s single, scoring Emily Griggs after she reached on a fielder’s choice and took second on a wild pitch. That lead expanded to 5-0 in the third on a bases-loaded walk to Griggs, a two-RBI double by Bianka Bell and a sacrifice fly by Sahvanna Jaquish.
Constance Quinn made it 6-0 with a homer to left center to lead off the LSU fourth. Griggs drove in the second run of the frame with her single off the glove of the Gamecock first baseman, while Jaquish pushed the lead to 8-0 with her two-out single to right.
The Gamecocks’ best chance to score came with two outs in the third, as freshmen Kenzi Maguire and Alexis Mack both picked up infield singles. Allie Walljasper picked up one of her two strikeouts to end the threat.
Walljasper (8-5) tossed a two-hit shutout for the Tigers. Nickie Blue (15-11) took the loss, allowing eight earned runs on eight hits and five walks in four innings.
Game Changer:
The four-run third propelled LSU to the win.
Key Stat:
Only four Gamecocks reached base, on two infield hits and two hit-by-pitches, as Walljasper threw 54 pitches in the win.
Notables:
– Maguire reached base twice, getting hit by a pitch in her 1-for-1 night.
– Taylor Williams also reached base on a hit by pitch.
– Bell went 2-for-2 with the double and three RBI.
– Griggs scored three times and drove in two in a 1-for-2 night.
– Jaquish also had two RBI for the Tigers in a win, while Bailey Landry scored twice and stole a base.
– The Gamecocks turned two double plays in the game, both started by Blue.
– Both teams wore teal in honor of Geaux Teal night at Tiger Park.
Up Next:
South Carolina and LSU wrap the series on Sunday at 2 p.m. EDT at Tiger Park.
