Tuesday Night Softball Central

Softball RESULTS
Florida State 6, Auburn 3
Arkansas 10, Savannah State 0
South Carolina 2, Campbell 1
Tennessee 7, Murray State 0
Kentucky 7, WKU 1
LSU 8, Georgia Southern 0
LSU 3, Georgia Southern 2

Florida State Topples Auburn 6-3

Auburn, Ala. - The Auburn softball team was unable to overcome an early deficit as the Tigers lost 6-3 to the Florida State Seminoles Tuesday night at Jane B. Moore Field.

Auburn dropped to 20-11 overall, while Florida State improved to 24-9. Auburn will next travel to Tuscaloosa for a three-game weekend series against No. 4 Alabama. Saturday's game will air on CSS while Sunday's game will air on ESPNU.

"I thought we came out pretty well, Marcy had her pitches working the first couple of innings," Auburn head coach Tina Deese said. "She lost command a little in the third but she was able to regroup and keep us in the game for the most part. Branndi (Melero) had a big hit to get us back in the game but we couldn't get that last run to tie it up. We'll go back to work tomorrow and start preparing for our series against Alabama."

Marcy Harper (10-5) went the distance for Auburn, allowing six runs, all earned, on eight hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. Florida State scored five of its six runs on home runs.

Monica Perry started and earned the win to improve to 13-6. Perry allowed three runs, all earned, on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings of work. Lacey Waldrop earned her second save, tossing one and one-third hitless ball to seal the victory.

Auburn put the first two batters on in the bottom of the second. Brooke Lathan singled to right field and was followed by Caitlin Jordan who drew a walk. Jordan Rocker was put in to run for Jordan. A passed ball with one out moved Lathan to third and Rocker to second. Perry was able to work out of the jam, however, when Maris Medina popped up to Victoria East at first. East caught the short pop-up and fired to third to double-off Lathan and end the inning.

The Seminoles put up a crooked number in the top of the fourth. Consecutive walks to Bailey Schinella and Kaitlin Allen gave FSU runners at second and first to open the inning. Alex Kossoff was put in to run for Schinella. On a 2-1 pitch, East crushed a home run to left-center to give Florida State a 3-0 lead. It was East's second home run of the season. With one out in the inning, Maddie O'Brien tripled to right field to score Courtney Senas (walk) and push the FSU lead to 4-0.

After leaving two runners on in the bottom of the second, the Tigers were unable to mount a scoring threat as Perry retired nine straight before a leadoff single from Tiffany Howard in the bottom of the sixth. Morgan Estell followed with a fielder's choice that forced Howard at second for the first out of the inning.

Branndi Melero then laced a home run over the wall in right-center to cut the Seminoles' lead in half at 4-2. It was Melero's seventh home run of the season. Emily Carosone followed with a double down the first base line. Perry was able to pick up the second out on a swinging strike three of Caitlin Schultze. Lathan then made it a 4-3 game with a double to the wall in left, plating Carosone. Lathan's double chased Perry and brought in Waldrop, who ended the rally on a swinging strikeout of Caitlin Jordan.

The Seminoles added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. East doubled with one out and came in to score on a two-out home run by Kelly Hensley. It was Hensley's 10th home run of the season and it gave Florida State a 6-3 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Waldrop fanned Stephens on three pitches for the first out of the inning. Jade Rhodes followed with a fly out to left for the second out and Waldrop was able to end the game on a swinging strikeout of pinch-hitter Austyn West.

Beasley's No-Hitter Helps Arkansas Blank Savannah State

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Sophomore Kimmy Beasley pitched a no-hitter and The University of Arkansas softball team shutout the Savannah State Lady Tigers, 10-0 in six innings on Tuesday in Savannah, Georgia.

Arkansas (20-10) received a wonderful effort from the sophomore from Foreman, Ark. This was the first time a single Razorback threw a no-hitter since March 5, 2006. Beasley went six innings and only allowed one walk in the game, while striking out seven. Savannah State came into the game hitting .328 as a team, that ranked 18th in the nation.

“It feels amazing,” Beasley said. “I also had some great defense behind. You can’t ever do things like that without a great defense. Getting the shutout is a great feeling.”

Offensively, Arkansas was led by Clarisa Navarro, who went 3-for-3 with a homerun, a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Jennifer Rambo also went deep in the game as she hit a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the fourth inning.

“There were a lot of great accomplishments today,” head coach Mike Larabee said. “Obviously, Beasley’s no-hitter was great to see. This was a good hitting team, I don’t care who you play, she was one walk away from a perfect game. Clarisa Navarro had an excellent day today as well.”

Devon Wallace led off the game by doubling to leftfield. She was bunted over to third on the next at bat by Stephanie Canfield and then scored when Chloe Oprzedek lined the first pitch she saw to centerfield. The junior, Oprzedek, stole second base and eventually scored when Navarro shot a single into centerfield. This gave the Hogs a 2-0 lead after the top of the first.

Beasley faced the minimum amount of batters through her first three innings. Her only blunder was a walk given up to Madison Hedderly in the second inning. She was eventually thrown out trying to steal second by catcher Jayme Gee. Beasley had struck three batters out through the first three innings.

Navarro walked to lead off the fourth inning and then Nicole Schroeder followed with a single. Sierra Bronkey then bunted both runners to second and third with a nice sacrifice. Two batters later, Jennifer Rambo pinch hit with two outs and two runners in scoring position. She sent the third pitch of the at-bat soaring over the centerfield wall for a three-run homer. This gave Arkansas a 5-0 lead. Wallace added to the lead when she walked for her SEC-leading 39th time. She stole second base and then scored when Canfield singled through the right side of the infield.

Arkansas’ sophomore pitcher continued to work wonders through the fourth and fifth as she dealt consecutive 1-2-3 innings. She got India Morgan to pop out to end the fifth, Beasley had not allowed a hit in the first five frames.

Ashley Martindale notched a two-out hit in the sixth and then stole second base. Oprzedek then walked to put on two runners for pinch hitting Amanda Geile. The junior worked a 2-2 count and both runners advanced on a passed ball. Two pitches later Geile lined a single to leftfield and both runners scored. Navarro hit in two runs of her own on the next pitch as she blasted a ball deep over the leftfield fence. Navarro’s first homer of the year gave Arkansas a 10-0 lead.

Beasley struck out Tiffany Taylor to start the top of the sixth. She then battled Imani Gayle and struck her out swinging. After a 2-2 count to Antonette Smith, she got the freshman to swing at a high fastball. Beasley completed her no hitter by striking out the side in the sixth. Arkansas won the game 10-0.

Next up, the Razorbacks will continue their eight-game road trip with game two against Savannah State. Game two will begin at 5 p.m. CT, tomorrow.

Page's Triple Leads South Carolina to Win

BUIES CREEK, N.C. - A two-out triple in the fifth by freshman left fielder Alaynie Page helped propel South Carolina (17-9) to a 2-1 win over Campbell (17-9) on Tuesday evening at Amanda Littlejohn Stadium.

Page came up with two runners on and two out, and the first pitch to her went through the Campbell catcher's legs, allowing junior third baseman Codee Yeske to score from third. Page then smacked a triple to center, scoring senior shortstop Samie Garcia to give South Carolina the 2-1 lead.

Campbell owned a 1-0 lead after three innings when Courtney Klingler drove a 1-2 pitch over the wall in left with two down.

Gamecock redshirt senior Audrey Broyles (6-3) got the win, tossing five innings and giving up one earned run on four hits and a walk while striking out one. Freshman Katie Marks picked up her first save with a two-inning scoreless relief appearance. Brittany Arnn (3-3) took the loss, allowing two unearned runs on seven hits and three walks in a complete game.

Gamecock senior catcher Shelby Gonzales went 2-for-3, while freshman designated player Ansley Ard had a double. Klingler was the only Camel with two hits.

South Carolina heads to Baton Rouge for a three-game series against LSU that starts at 7 p.m. EDT on Friday night.

Tennessee Controls Murray State, 7-0

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.-- Rainey Gaffin punches her first career homer, going 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs, while Erin Gabriel retires eight batters in five innings, holding Murray State to two hits as the No. 8/8 Lady Vols control the Racers, 7-0.

Tennessee posts eight hits as a team, improving to 24-6 on the season with Gabriel's record moving to 4-1.

Tennessee returns to SEC action this weekend at Lee Stadium, hosting Texas A&M Friday and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET. Saturday's game will be televised on ESPNU, featuring a pre-game jersey retirement ceremony for former Lady Vol Monica Abbott. Stay tuned for a full recap of Tennessee's win over Murray State.

Four-Run Fifth Boosts Kentucky to Win

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Behind a four-run fifth inning that gave the top-25 ranked Wildcats a comfortable six-run lead, the No. 21 University of Kentucky softball team got back to its winning ways Tuesday night with a 7-1 victory over Western Kentucky University at the UK Softball Complex in Lexington, Ky.

Kentucky (20-7) will have a quick turnaround as it will square off against Iowa at 4:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday to conclude midweek action. The UK-Iowa game will be the first of four games televised live this season on the UK/IMG Sports Network. The game will also be shown on the entire Fox Sports South footprint. Check local listings for details.

Admission to the game is free of charge due to the continued construction of the new UK Softball Complex. The new stadium is nearly completed, but until construction in the seating areas is fully complete, admission to games will be free of charge. Fans can contact the UK Ticket Office with any questions prior to attending a game at 1-800-928-2287.

The Wildcats had a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning before the offense exploded for four runs. The inning started with sophomore catch Griffin Joiner getting hit by a pitch and was pinch ran for by Sarah Frazer, who advanced to third on the single to right-centerfield by junior outfielder Ginny Carroll. With runners at the corners and one out, true freshman Nikki Sagermann laced her second single of the game to rightfield, scoring the first run of the inning. Junior pinch hitter Emily Gaines then singled to leftfield to score the second run of the inning and after a strikeout, freshman Maisie Steed reached on a fielding error that allowed two more runs to score and give UK the decisive 7-1 lead.

Nikki Sagermann was the offensive star in the game for Kentucky, going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in, including her first collegiate home run. The native of Buford, Ga., now leads the Wildcats in batting average this season with a .370 (17-for-46) clip, including one double and nine RBI. Six other Wildcats earned hits, including a two-RBI single by freshman infielder Christian Stokes.

In the circle, UK got a four-inning win from junior pitcher Lauren Cumbess, who allowed only one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts. Cumbess is now 5-2 on the year with a 2.50 earned-run average. Freshman Kelsey Nunley threw the final three innings for UK to pick up her first career save. Nunley allowed one hit and no runs with four strikeouts in the game. The outing for Nunley lowered her ERA to a team-best 2.25. +

WKU (15-9) started Mallorie Sulaski in the circle. Sulaski went 1.2 innings, giving up three runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Janna Scheff came on in relief, going 4.1 innings allowing four runs - two earned - on five hits.

Kentucky scored first in the game, getting the first homer of the year from true freshman infielder Nikki Sagermann. Junior infielder Emily Jolly kept the rally going with a single to leftfield, moving to second on a stolen base before back-to-back walks loaded the bases. That brought up Stokes, who singled through the left side of the infield, scoring two runs and giving UK a 3-0 lead.

WKU got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, getting an RBI single by Jacqueline McGill. After a one-out walk to Sulaski, Clara Garcia singled to leftfield to put runners at first and second. McGill then hit a single up the middle, scoring the pinch runner Bethany Oglesby and cutting the UK lead to 3-1. Cumbess got two fly outs to end the inning.

The Wildcats are 12-7 all-time against the Hilltoppers, including a 8-3 record in Lexington. The two teams first met in 2000 and have played every year since but two (2008 and 2011). This was the first of two meetings on the year between the Wildcats and Hilltoppers as Kentucky will take a trip to Bowling Green, Ky., on March 26.

Before the game Tuesday vs. WKU, the Wildcats fell to No. 21 in both the USA Today/National Fastball Coaches Association and ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25. Kentucky was ranked 17th by both outlets last week.

Iowa enters Wednesday's game receiving votes in both major collegiate softball polls. Megan Blank leads the team in hitting at .390 (30-for-77) with six doubles, one triple, five homers and 35 RBI. Kayla Massey is hitting .378 (28-for-74) with three doubles, five homers and 21 RBI. In the circle, Massey leads the team with an 8-4 record and a 2.46 ERA, while Chelsea Lyon is 8-4 with a 2.79 ERA.

Iowa is 18-8 on the year after falling to No. 11 Louisville on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawkeyes beat the Cardinals on Monday, however.

Kentucky and Iowa have met only twice in softball with each team owning a win. UK lost to Iowa in the first meeting in 1997 in Bloomington, Ind., before defeating the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa in 2003. This is the first meeting in Lexington.

Kentucky will play host to the SEC Tournament this season for the first time in school history. The event, which is considered one of the most prestigious softball tournaments in the nation, will be May 8-11 in Lexington. The championship game will be featured on ESPN2, while all other games will be shown on ESPNU.

For the latest on UK softball, follow "@UKSoftball" on Twitter or like Kentucky Softball on Facebook.

LSU Sweeps Doubleheader

BATON ROUGE - The No. 13 LSU softball team extended its winning streak to seven games with an 8-0 five-inning win and a 3-2 comeback victory over Georgia Southern to continue its unblemished homestand Tuesday at Tiger Park.

The Tigers (25-5) have collected their best 30-game start in program history since the 2010 squad posted a 26-4 mark. Georgia Southern (14-16) has now lost six straight decisions.

LSU pounded out an 11-hit attack during game one. It marked the ninth time that the Tigers have notched double digit hits in a game.

A.J. Andrews, Bianka Bell and Lauren Houston picked up two RBIs apiece, while Rikki Alcaraz contributed a 3-for-3 effort with two runs score and RBI. For Alcaraz, the three hits equal a career-high.

Rachele Fico twirled a two-hit shutout, her eighth on the season. The senior right-hander secured eight strikeouts versus one walk and improved to 15-3. In the process, she picked up her 69th career victory moving her past Ashley Lewis (1999-2001) for fourth place on LSU's all-time list.

The Tigers erupted for five runs during the second inning. Bell and Alcaraz cranked consecutive home runs to centerfield for the game's first run. It marked the second time that LSU has come away with back-to-back dingers this season. The previous time was during the Mississippi State series finale on March 10.

Sandra Simmons, who turned in a 2-for-2 performance, followed with a bunt single in-front of the pitcher's circle. Two batters later, Lauren Houston drew a walk. Both runners came around to score as Andrews smacked a triple off the left centerfield wall to push the LSU lead to 4-0. Jacee Blades capped the five-run frame with a RBI single to left field.

The Tigers closed out the 8-0 victory with a three-run fifth inning. Bell belted her second roundtripper of the game, a solo shot onto the berm in left centerfield. The last LSU player to blast two homers in a game was Anissa Young versus Fordham on February 26, 2011.

Alcaraz completed her three-hit game with a single to left field, while Simmons reached base via catcher's interference. The Tigers loaded the bases courtesy of Hailey Smith's pinch hit infield single, and Houston ended the game with a two-run single for the final margin of 8-0.

Game 2 - No. 13 LSU 3, Georgia Southern 2

Georgia Southern took advantage of a two-out walk followed by a fielding error during the first inning. The Eagles platted the two unearned runs on Tabby Douberley's double that one-hopped the left field fence.

LSU fought back with a two-run first inning of its own. A.J. Andrews and Allison Falcon set the table with a walk and infield single. With two outs, Kellsi Kloss provided the equalizer and lifted a two-run single to right centerfield to even the ledger at 2-2.

The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the third inning. Falcon coaxed a leadoff walk and hustled her way around the bases on Bianka Bell's double into the left centerfield gap.

Georgia Southern put together a rally during the sixth inning against LSU starter Meghan Patterson after she retired a stretch of 13 of 15 batters following the Douberley double in the first.

The Eagles filled the bases after a pair of Patterson walks sandwich between a Shelby Morrill single. On a 3-2 offering, Patterson wiggled her way out of the jam after she got A.J. Hamilton to strike out swinging. She worked a routine 1-2-3 seventh inning to wrap up the 3-2 win.

Patterson equaled a season's best eight strikeouts against four walks to earn her fourth win of the season. The junior right-hander was touched up two runs, zero earned, on three hits.

Georgia Southern's Sarah Purvis was tagged with both losses and fell to 7-10 for the season.

LSU continues its 10-game homestand and welcomes South Carolina to Tiger Park for a three-game set over the weekend. Game times are set for Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games of the series will be broadcasted by the LSU Sports Radio Network on Country Legends 104.9 FM in Baton Rouge and can be accessed by Geaux Zone subscribers at www.LSUsports.net/live.

Saturday's game will be carried live by Cox Sports Television with Lyn Rollins and retired LSU softball coach Yvette Girouard set to call the action. Friday's game will have live video available inside the Geaux Zone at www.LSUsports.net/live.

Every game of LSU softball will have live stats available at LSUsports.net/livestats. Fans can also follow every pitch via live in-game updates at the program's social media outlets @lsusoftball on Twitter and www.Facebook.com/lsusoftball.

The Tiger Park Ticket Office will open 90 prior to the first pitch. Fans can purchase tickets on-site starting at $5 for adult general admission and $3 for youth ages 3-12.

Tuesday Night Softball Central

Updated 3/19/2013