By TIGER RAG NEWS SERVICES
RUSTON, La. – In the first road test for the No. 4 LSU softball team, the Tigers started well by scoring multiple runs in each of the first five innings, but nothing would compare to the end result as the Tigers set a host of team and individual school records in a 30-8 win over the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters Tuesday night in Ruston.
The line for the night for LSU (24-3) was 30 runs on 27 hits in 48 at-bats, with seven home runs and 27 RBIs. Each one set a new program best mark by a mile as the team exploded for 15 in the sixth inning alone to tie the record for most in a single inning in Tiger history.
The runs scored and home runs also tied SEC records, while the 27 hits is a league record. The Tigers also had 56 total bases which was also a school record by 16.
13 LSU players registered a hit against Louisiana Tech (15-6) on the night, as the more than 1,900 fans in attendance saw individual records set as seniors Kellsi Kloss and Bianka Bell each belted three home runs to become the first players in program history to have more than two in a game. Bell, the reigning USA Softball National Player of the Week also tied Kloss’ record for most RBIs in a game with nine, finishing 4-for-5.
Kloss finished the game a triple short of the cycle as she was 4-for-6 with three home runs, two coming in the same inning, with a double, four RBIs and four runs scored.
Playing in front of friends and family, senior infielder Jenna Kreamer produced her best game as a Tiger going 4-for-5 with an RBI and four runs scored.
Sandra Simmons was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored with a triple, as Emily Griggs, Bailey Landry and Amber Serrett each posted multiple hits in the win.
Sydney Smith (6-1) earned the win as she pitched the final three innings of the game and allowed a run on four hits with three walks and a strikeout. Allie Walljasper earned the start and allowed three runs on four hits with three strikeouts and Baylee Corbello allowing four runs on three hits with a walk.
Carolina Sanchez (2-2) suffered the loss as she was relieved, before coming back in to pitch in the sixth and was tagged with 14 runs on 14 hits in 1.2 innings of work. The Lady Techsters used five pitchers in the game, all giving up multiple runs, as LSU was also aided by six Louisiana Tech errors, while not committing one themselves.
Louisiana Tech’s Morgan Turkoly was 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
After a fly ball out to right to open the contest, Griggs legged out an infield single to short to reach base. It would be the hardest she would have to run as Bell took the first pitch of her at bat and sent it over the fence in left for the two-run shot to put the Tigers up 2-0.
Following a strikeout, Kloss reared back and did the same thing as Bell, taking the first pitch and drilling it over the fence in left for the solo shot to make it 3-0 LSU.
Kreamer opened the top of the second with sharp-hit single to center to reach first, as Simmons followed with a bunt single to put two on, prompting a Lady Techster pitching change.
A wild pitch advanced the two to second and third, as Constance Quinn laced a single to left center to drive in Kreamer to make it 4-0 LSU, with runners still at second and third. Bell was hit to load the bases, but a liner into a double play ended the inning.
Louisiana Tech pulled one back in the bottom of the second, getting a leadoff solo home run to make it 4-1. A walk and a hit batter put two on, with Walljasper getting a strikeout to get one out. A sacrifice bunt advanced the two runners to second and third, as Kreamer came up with the scoop and throw at third to end the inning without further damage.
Kloss opened up the third with a double to right center, as Landry was hit by a pitch to put two on. A fielder’s choice forced out forced out Kloss at third, but it was no matter as Kreamer came through again with a single through the right side to score Landry in under the tag to make it 5-1 LSU.
Simmons didn’t wait long to strike, taking the first pitch and lifting it to dead center, bouncing off the wall to drive in both on the stand-up triple to put LSU up 7-1 and force Louisiana Tech to the bullpen for the second pitching change and third pitcher used of the day.
After a strikeout, Griggs drew a walk to take first, leaving the table set for Bell who cleared them again with the three-run shot to left to put LSU up 10-1.
A single to open the bottom half of the third put one on for the home side, as after a strikeout a home run down the left field line cut LSU’s lead to 10-3. It would be the only two runs as the Lady Techsters would leave one stranded after a double play to end the inning.
Landry opened the fourth getting hit by a pitch to take first, as an error at short put two runners on for the Tigers. A ground out to short allowed the runners to advance, with a strikeout threatening to derail an LSU scoring chance. Instead, a Quinn dribbler went through the legs of third base allowing two runs to score to put LSU up 12-3, with Quinn now at third.
Griggs legged out an infield single to put runners at the corners and prompt another LaTech pitching change. Bell was hit by pitch to load the bases for LSU with Taylor Lockwood coming in to run, but a fielder’s choice groundout ended the inning.
Louisiana Tech tried to make a game of it late as they scored four runs on four hits to cut into LSU’s lead at 12-7 after four innings.
Kloss reached on an error, as a single by Landry put two on for LSU in the fifth. A single by Serrett loaded the bases, as a wild pitch scored Kloss to make it 13-7. A walk to Kreamer loaded the bases, as Simmons grounded out to short to bring in another run to make it 14-7 LSU.
A walk to Quinn forced the Lady Techsters to go back into the well to pull out the fifth pitcher of the game for the home side, but did little good as a walk to Griggs plated another run to make it 15-7.
With neither team relenting at that point, a walk and two singles loaded the bases for Louisiana Tech, as a sacrifice fly brought in a run to make it 15-8.
The wild sixth was led off by Kloss’ second home run of the day to to put LSU up 16-8. After a bunt single by Landry, Serrett launched her first collegiate home run to make it an 18-8 contest.
A single to the circle by Kreamer put a Tiger runner back on, as a Simmons single to left center got the LaTech pitching rotation back into motion with another round of changes.
Another fielding error allowed Quinn to reach, as Shemiah Sanchez came on to pinch hit and drove in two on a single through the right side to tie the runs record with 20. The new one was set on the very next play as Bell singled through the left side to score one making it 21-8.
A double by Sahvanna Jaquish down the left field line plated two more as the rout was on at 23-8. Kloss was magic again, clearing the bases for the two-run jack to put LSU up 25-8.
Akiya Thymes came on to pinch hit and reached on a fielding error at first base. Taylor Satchell came on and drew a walk on four pitches to put two on. Thymes was caught stealing as Satchell moved to second base. A single by Kreamer through the left side however put runners at the corners.
Randi Provost then came on to bat and singled through the left side to plate a run to make it 26-8. Alayna Falcon joined in on the hit parade and singled to load the bases full of Tigers.
Griggs grounded out to short for the second out, but still drove in a run to make it a 27-8 contest, and Kloss’ new record didn’t stand too long as Bell reared back for the three run shot to make it 30-0. Sydney Bourgwould be the last LSU batter to earn a hit in the frame, as in all, 21 batters got sent to the plate in the inning.
After a single to open the bottom half of the inning, Louisiana Tech would not be able to get anything else as the next three batters went down in order, securing the victory for LSU.
The Tigers will be back in action on Friday, opening a three-game SEC series against the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station.
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