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It wasn’t the ending LSU hoped for when it fell to Auburn 7-1 in the SEC Championship game, after an incredible three game run.
All the elements that had helped the Tigers through three games vanished in the finale against Auburn. LSU’s defense which had played error free ball throughout the tournament, committed two errors leading to four unearned Auburn runs.
The Tiger offense, which had spent the tournament hitting well with runners in scoring position, went 0-4 against Auburn. The lone LSU run came when Amber Serrett scored on a wild pitch. LSU’s best threat was in the first inning when LSU would have had two on with two outs, but Bianka Bell was tagged out after not getting back to the bag fast enough when she was rounding second base
Sydney Smith surrendered four runs unearned runs and was the victim of a disastrous fourth inning. A Constance Quin error with the bases loaded scored the first Auburn run and then an RBI single and a throwing error by Bailey Landry cleared the bases. Smith was pulled with two outs in favor of Carley Hoover, who ended the threat but allowed three more runs in relief. Hoover would be pulled in the sixth for Allie Walljasper, after surrendering a two-run, home run for Auburn’s final runs of the afternoon.
After the game, Hoover, Bell, and Sandra Simmons were named to the All-Tournament team, the most Tigers to receive the recognition since 2010.
While Saturday’s result was a bad one, LSU still looks very strong entering the Women’s College World Series. They certainly turned some heads making a deep run as a seventh seed and knocking off Kentucky and Tennessee. A win Saturday would have put LSU in contention as one of the top-eight seeds in the tournament, and made Baton Rouge for a Super Regional site.
For now, LSU must wait until Sunday to discover its fate. The Tigers will be playing postseason ball this year and it is almost certain they will be playing some of those games in Tiger Park.
LSU will learn its fate during the NCAA Selection Show 9 PM Sunday.