By Sara Biela (@sarabielaa ):
San Jose State softball was shut out for the first time this season in a 4-0 loss to No. 7 LSU Tigers.
The Spartans (8-3) were held to five hits and struck out nine times as LSU (11-0) senior pitcher Carley Hoover threw a complete game shutout.
“There’s no difference between them and Seattle University, and we put them on a higher pedestal,” said head coach Peter Turner. “We have to have a better effort in terms of heart and desire and competitive compassion.”
The Tigers got off to a quick start, scoring the first run of the game two batters in.
Sophomore left fielder Aliyah Andrews was hit by a pitch and later scored on senior center fielder Emily Griggs’ RBI double.
Two batters later, sophomore first baseman Amanda Doyle hit a two-run homer to make it 3-0 in favor of LSU after one frame.
The Tigers’ final run of the game came in the third inning on junior shortstop Amber Serret’s RBI single.
Junior Madison Aurin and freshman Caroline Bowman held LSU to two hits in the final four innings.
“I’m pretty proud of both of them. I thought they pitched very well,” Turner said. “We needed them after the let down on Sunday where we just didn’t show up because we were tired. Hopefully this puts us at a higher level going into a very difficult weekend.”
Offensively, sophomore second baseman Cassidy Clark led the team in hits with two singles to improve her batting average to .417.
The Spartans begin the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Southern California tomorrow against another undefeated SEC opponent, the No. 12 Auburn Tigers.
“We need to learn how to compete and not get beat by names,” Turner said on going into the weekend. “We gotta have the heart and desire to get in the ring with anybody.”
First pitch is at 12:30 p.m.