LSU softball team shocks Gators, 9-1

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — No. 5 Florida won’t get a chance to settle supremacy of the Southeastern Conference softball season with No. 3 Alabama in Saturday’s championship game of the SEC Tournament at the University of Arkansas’ Bogle Park. Louisiana State dominated from the start in Friday’s first semifinal, ousting the Gators from the tournament, 9-1.

Next for the Tigers (43-13) is a berth in Saturday’s title game against Alabama, which held of a pesky Tennessee team by a 4-3 score. That game will be televised by ESPN at 7:30 p.m.

The victory by Louisiana State ws the first over Florida (43-7) in the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

Sophomore Michelle Moultrie led the Florida effort, going 2-for-3 with two bunt singles. She has now recorded a hit in 24 of the last 30 games. Junior Megan Bush scored Florida’s only run of the game, belting a home run in the fourth inning for Florida’s only run.

Junior Stephanie Brombacher (29-6) shouldered the loss, pitching 2.1 innings, allowing three hits, four runs, three walks and struck out two.  Freshman Ensley Gammel pitched 1.1 innings of relief, allowed six hits, four runs, two earned and two walks.  Freshman Erin Schuppert went 3.1 innings and allowed only two hits, a run, one walk and struck out four.  She retired the first five batters she faced.

Cody Trahan (13-4) earned the win for the Tigers. The last time Florida lost to LSU was in the conference championship game in 2007, in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel.  The last time the Tigers scored nine runs against the Gators was on May 13, 2005 in a 9-1 victory, also in the SEC Tournament.

The Tigers got on the board early, scoring two in the first.  Kirsten Shortridge led off with a single through the right side and Ashley Applegate followed with a pop up to short, which Bush lost in the sun.  The shortstop had a chance to make the out at second, but overthrew the bag, allowing the runners to advance to second and third.  Rachel Mitchell popped up a bunt, which freshman first baseman Brittany Schutte caught and fired to third to catch Shortridge off the bag, but senior third baseman Corrie Brooks was called for interference and the runner was allowed to remain.  Ashley Langoni walked to load the bases and Anissa Young grounded one to junior second baseman Aja Paculba, who fired home to get the force out.  Juliana Santos drew a walk to bring home the first run of the game and Langoni scored on an illegal pitch.  Brombacher ended the inning with a swinging strikeout.

The Gators got two on the base path in the first, as Moultrie tallied a bunt single and Schutte walked, but could not score.  In the top of the second, Morgan Russell led off with a solo shot to center, giving LSU a 3-0 lead.

With one down, Brombacher walked Langoni and Gammel came in.  Langoni stole second and Young hit a chopper to short and legged it out for a base hit.  Santos singled up the middle to load the bases and Courtney Hollier drew a walk to bring in the Tigers’ fourth run.  After a force play at home, the Tigers managed two more runs on two singles to take a 6-0 lead.

After the Gators went 1-2-3 in the third, the Tigers got two more in the fourth to take an 8-0 lead.  After allowing a walk and a single, Gammel forced two fly outs.  With runners on first and second, Hollier grounded a slow roller back to Gammel, who could not make the play.  Paculba tried to catch Mitchell off the bag at third, but misfired, allowing the Tigers to score another run.  A single by Russell gave LSU an 8-0 lead.  Schuppert came in to replace Gammel and ended the inning with a strikeout.

Bush put the Gators on the board with a one-out solo shot to left, her 13th of the year.  Schuppert and the UF defense recorded their first 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fifth as the righty forced a groundout, fly out and got her second K.

Schuppert retired first five batters she faced and after allowing a single to Young, struck out the next two batters.  The righty sat down eight of nine Tigers before giving up a two-out solo home run to Shortridge in the top of the seventh.

SOFTBALL

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

Eastern Division Conference Overall

(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.


(5) Florida 20-4 .833 43-8 .843

(8) Georgia 18-8 .692 43-11 .796

(16) Tennessee 17-8 .680 42-13 .764

Kentucky 13-15 .464 31-25 .554

South Carolina 1-27 .036 11-40 .216

Western Division Conference Overall

(Rank) Team W-L Pct. W-L Pct.


(3) Alabama 23-4 .852 47-9 .839

(14) Louisiana State 20-8 .714 44-13 .772

Auburn 11-17 .393 30-24 .556

Arkansas 10-18.357 28-29 .491

Mississippi 8-19 .296 27-27 .500

Mississippi State 7-20 .259 26-29 .473

(Rank) in this week’s GatorCountry.com Top 25 poll

SCHEDULE

SEC TOURNAMENT / Fayetteville, Ark. / Bogle Park


Seeds: 1. Alabama (47-9); 2. Florida (43-8); 3. Louisiana State (44-13); 4. Georgia (43-11); 4. Tennesse (42-13); 6. Kentucky (31-25); 7. Auburn (30-24); 8. Arkansas (28-29)

THURSDAY / May 13 quarterfinals

Game 1: (3) Louisiana State 2, (6) Kentucky 1

Game 2: (2) Florida 9, (7) Auburn 1 (5)

Game 3: (5) Tennessee 6, (4) Georgia 4

Game 4: (1) Alabama 9, (8) Arkansas 0 (5)

FRIDAY / May 14 semifinals

Game 5: (3) Louisiana State 9, (2) Florida 1

Game 6: (1) Alabama 4, (5) Tennessee 3

SATURDAY / May 15 championship

Game 7: (1) Alabama (47-9) vs. (3) Louisiana State (44-13), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

THURSDAY-SUNDAY / May 20-23

NCAA Regionals (16 sites)

FRIDAY-SUNDAY / May 28-30

NCAA Super Regionals (8 sites)

THURSDAY-WEDNESDAY / June 3-9

Women’s College World Series, Oklahoma City, Okla.

RANKINGS

May 11, 2010

GATORCOUNTRY.Com TOP 25


The GatorCountry.com Top 25 college softball teams for May 11, a cumulative ranking using the ESPN.com/USA Softball Division I and USA/NFCA Division I polls. First-place votes are in parentheses:

Rk School W-L Pts Prv Next:

1. Washington (2) (44-6) 50 1 Beat No. 10 Arizona State, 5-4.

2. Michigan (45-6) 48 2 Beat Iowa, 8-2, to win Big Ten Championship and NCAA automatic berth.

3. Alabama (47-9) 46 3T Beat No. 16 Tennessee, 4-3, in the SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.

4. Arizona (43-10) 45 3T Beat No. 6 UCLA, 5-3.

5. Florida (43-8) 42 5T Lost to No. 14 Louisiana State, 9-1, in the SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.

6. UCLA (39-10) 41 5T Lost to No. 4 Arizona, 5-3.

7. Georgia Tech (47-9) 38 7T Beat Boston College 8-0 in five innings in the ACC Tournament at Blacksburg, Va.

8. Georgia (43-11) 34 9 Did not play.

9. Oklahoma (40-10) 33 10 Saturday vs. Texas Tech-Kansas winner in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.

10. Arizona State (41-14) 32 7T Lost to No. 1 Washington, 5-4.

11. Missouri (44-10) 30 11 Saturday vs. No. 15 Oklahoma State in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.

12. Texas (41-12) 28 13 Saturday vs. Baylor-Iowa State winner in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.

13. California (40-17) 27 15 Beat Oregon State, 6-0.

14. Louisiana State (44-13) 24 14 Beat No. 5 Florida, 9-1, in SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.

15. Oklahoma State (43-14) 22 12 Saturday vs. No. 11 Missouri in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.

16. Tennessee (42-13) 21 18 Lost to No. 3 Alabama, 4-3, in the SEC Tournament at Fayetteville, Ark.

17. Stanford (35-17) 20 16 Beat No. 21 Oregon, 5-1.

18. Illinois (42-6) 16 17 Beat Minnesota, 8-3.

19. Texas A&M (41-13) 13 19T Saturday vs. Nebraska in Big 12 Tournament at Oklahoma City, Okla.

20. Ohio State (36-12) 11 19T Beat Northwestern, 9-6.

21. Oregon (33-18) 10 19T Lost to No. 17 Stanford, 5-1.

22. Hawaii (43-12) 9 22T Beat Fresno State, 2-1, in WAC Tournament at Las Cruces, N.M.

23. Massachusetts (40-8-1) 8 22T Lost to Fordham, 7-5, in the Atlantic 10 Tournament at Amherst, Mass.; Beat Charlotte, 9-4.

24. Florida State (42-15) 4 24 Beat Maryland 3-0 in the ACC Tournament at Blacksburg, Va.

25. Notre Dame (45-10) 3 25 Lost to Louisville, 5-2, in the Big East Tournament at Louisville, Ky.

USA TODAY/NATIONAL FASTPITCH COACHES ASSOCIATION

1. Washington (43-5); 2. Michigan (44-6); 3. Arizona (42-9); 4. Alabama (45-9); 5. UCLA (38-10); 6. Florida (42-7); 7. Georgia Tech (46-9); 8. Missouri (44-10); 9. Georgia (43-10); 10. Arizona State (40-13); 11. Oklahoma (40-10); 12. California (38-17); 13. Texas (41-12); 14. Oklahoma State (43-14); 15. Stanford (33-17); 16. Tennessee (42-12); 17. Louisiana State (42-13); 18. Illinois (39-6); 19. Ohio State (35-12); 20. Texas A&M (41-13); 21. Massachusetts (38-7-1); 22. Oregon (33-16); 23. Hawaii (41-12); 24. Notre Dame (44-9); 25. Florida State (41-15).

ESPN.com/USA SOFTBALL DIVISION I

1. Washington (43-5); 2. Michigan (44-6); 3. Alabama (45-9); 4. Arizona (42-9); 5. Florida (42-7); 6. UCLA (38-10); 7. Georgia Tech (46-9); 8. Oklahoma (40-10); 9. Georgia (43-10); 10. Arizona State (40-13); 11. Louisiana State (42-13); 12. Texas (41-12); 13. California (38-17); 14. Missouri (44-10); 15. Tennessee (41-12); 16. Oklahoma State (43-13); 17. Stanford (33-17); 18. Illinois (39-6); 19. Texas A&M (41-13); 20. Oregon (33-15); 21. Hawaii (41-12); 22. Ohio State (35-12); 23. Massachusetts (38-7-1); 24. Florida State (41-15); 25. Notre Dame (44-9).

NCAA WOMEN’S SOFTBALL RATINGS PERCENTAGE INDEX

May 11, 2010

1. Alabama (SEC); 2. Washington (Pac-10); 3. Michigan (Big Ten); 4. Florida (SEC); 5. Georgia Tech (ACC); 6. UCLA (Pac-10); 7. Arizona (Pac-10); 8. Texas (Big 12); 9. Louisiana State (SEC); 10. Missouri (Big 12); 11. Oklahoma (Big 12); 12. Georgia (SEC); 13. California (Pac-10); 14. Texas A&M (Big 12); 15. Arizona State (Pac-10); 16. Hawaii (WAC);

17. Oklahoma State (Big 12); 18. Tennessee (SEC); 19. Illinois (Big Ten); 20. DePaul (Big East); 21. Stanford (Pac-10); 22. Florida State (ACC); 23. Oregon (Pac-10); 24. North Carolina (ACC); 25. San Diego State (MWC); 26. Ohio State (Big Ten); 27. Massachusetts (Atlantic 10); 28. Virginia (ACC); 29. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt); 30. Fordham (Atlantic 10); 31. Kentucky (ACC); 32. Brigham Young (MWC);

33. Auburn (SEC); 34. Hofstra (Colonial); 35. Louisville (Big East); 36. Notre Dame (Big East); 37. Illinois State (Missouri Valley); 38. UAB (C-USA); 39. UCF (C-USA); 40. East Carolina (C-USA); 41. FIU (Sun Belt); 42. Lipscomb (Atlantic Sun); 43. Texas Tech (Big 12); 44. Radford (Big South); 45. Maryland (ACC); 46. Fresno State (WAC); 47. Arkansas (SEC); 48. Mississippi State (SEC);

49. Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley); 50. Nebraska (Big 12); 51. Houston (C-USA); 52. Oregon State (Pac-10); 53. Northwestern (Big Ten); 54. Longwood (Independent); 55. UNLV (Mountain West); 56. North Texas (Sun Belt); 57. Long Island (Northeast); 58. North Carolina State (ACC); 59. Mississippi (SEC); 60. Ball State (Mid-American); 61. Tulsa (C-USA); 62. Baylor (Big 12); 63. Chattanooga (Southern); 64. Iowa State (Big 12).

RPI BY CONFERENCE

American East: 78. Boston University; 118. Stony Brook; 149. Binghamton; 158. Albany (N.Y.); 162. UMBC; 179. Maine; 229. Hartford.

Atlantic Coast: 5. Georgia Tech; 22. Florida State; 24. North Carolina; 28. Virginia; 45. Maryland; 58. North Carolina State; 69. Virginia Tech; 134. Boston College.

Atlantic 10: 27. Massachusetts; 30. Fordham; 65. Charlotte; 101. Saint Joseph’s; 146. Saint Louis; 204. Temple; 208. Rhode Island; 230. George Washington; 231. St. Bonaventure; 232. La Salle; 235. Dayton.

Atlantic Sun: 1. Lipscomb; 72. South Carolina Upstate; 79. Stetson; 98. Kennesaw State; 99. Jacksonville; 111. Florida Gulf Coast; 133. North Florida; 139. Mercer; 151. Campbell; 192. East Tennessee State; 256. Belmont.

Big East: 20. DePaul; 35. Louisville; 36. Notre Dame; 74. Syracuse; 82. South Florida; 122. Rutgers; 123. St. John’s; 132. Villanova; 137. Pittsburgh; 167. Providence; 169. Georgetown; 173. Connecticut; 174. Seton Hall.

Big South: 44. Radford; 71. Liberty; 117. Charleston Southern; 129. Winthrop; 177. Coastal Carolina; 194. Gardner-Webb; 217. Presbyterian.

Big Ten: 3. Michigan; 19. Illinois; 26. Ohio State; 53. Northwestern; 67. Penn State; 73. Iowa; 77. Purdue; 142. Michigan State; 154. Wisconsin; 191. Indiana; 200. Minnesota.

Big 12: 8. Texas; 10. Missouri; 11. Oklahoma; 14. Texas A&M; 17. Oklahoma State; 43. Texas Tech; 50. Nebraska; 62. Baylor; 64. Iowa State; 87. Kansas.

Big West: 76. Cal State Northridge; 104. UC Davis; 109. Cal Poly; 113. Long Beach State; 148. Pacific; 170. Cal State Fullerton; 178. UC Riverside; 218. UC Santa Barbara.

Colonial Athletic Association: 34. Hofstra; 66. Georgia State; 84. Towson; 128. James Madison; 168. Delaware; 183. Drexel; 222. George Mason; 250. UNC Wilmington.

Conference USA: 38. UAB; 39. UCF; 40. East Carolina; 51. Houston; 61. Tulsa; 70. UTEP; 100. Marshall; 108. Memphis; 110. Southern Mississippi.

Horizon League: 94. Cleveland State; 127. Butler; 143. Illinois-Chicago; 153. Loyola (Ill.); 156. Valparaiso; 159. Wright State; 195. Wisconsin-Green Bay; 251. Youngstown State; 277. Detroit.

Ivy Group: 80. Cornell; 166. Harvard; 215. Dartmouth; 226. Pennsylvania; 243. Princeton; 245. Brown; 247. Yale; 264. Columbia.

Metro Atlantic: 138. Canisius; 193. Iona; 196. Niagara; 201. Manhattan; 206. Fairfield; 236. Rider; 242. Siena; 269. Marist; 279. St. Peter’s.

Mid-American: 60. Ball State; 89. Kent State; 114. Central Michigan; 130. Miami (Ohio); 155. Ohio; 185. Northern Illinois; 189. Bowling Green; 197. Eastern Michigan; 199. Western Michigan; 210. Buffalo; 223. Toledo; 225. Akron

Mid-Eastern: 164. Bethune-Cookman; 207. Florida A&M; 221. Howard; 227. Delaware State; 232. North Carolina A&T; 267. Coppin State; 268. Hampton; 276. Norfolk State; 283. Morgan State; 285. South Carolina State; 290. Maryland-Eastern Shore.

Missouri Valley: 37. Illinois State; 49. Southern Illinois; 81. Drake; 83. Creighton; 105. Northern Iowa; 145. Wichita State; 187. Missouri State; 198. Bradley; 209. Evansville; 213. Indiana State;

Mountain West: 25. San Diego State; 32. Brigham Young; 55. UNLV; 92. Colorado State; 124. Utah; 184. New Mexico.

Northeast: 57. Long Island; 144. Robert Morris; 147. Monmouth; 190. Quinnipiac; 216. Sacred Heart; 219. Mount St. Mary’s; 244. Central Connecticut State; 245. St. Francis (Pa.); 257. Fairleigh Dickinson; 262. Wagner; 272. Bryant.

Ohio Valley: 75. UT Martin; 91. Jacksonville State; 126. Morehead State; 152. Eastern Illinois; 171. Tennessee Tech; 224. Southeast Missouri State; 228. Eastern Kentucky; 238. Murray State; 241. Austin Peay; 248. Tennessee State.

Pacific Coast Softball: 141. Loyola Marymount; 157. Portland State; 172. St. Mary’s (Calif.); 176. Sacramento State; 181. San Diego; 211. Cal State Bakersfield; 234. Northern Colorado; 253. Santa Clara; 254. Seattle; 258. Utah Valley; 273. Idaho State; 282. Weber State.

Pacific-10: 2. Washington; 6. UCLA; 7. Arizona; 13. California; 15. Arizona State; 21. Stanford; 23. Oregon; 52. Oregon State.

Patriot League: 115. Lehigh; 160. Army; 182. Bucknell; 220. Colgate; 240. Lafayette; 249. Holy Cross.

Southeastern: 1. Alabama; 4. Florida; 9. Louisiana State; 12. Georgia; 18. Tennessee; 31. Kentucky; 33. Auburn; 47. Arkansas; 48. Mississippi State; 59. Mississippi; 107. South Carolina.

Southern: 63. Chattanooga; 95. Elon; 96. Georgia Southern; 131. Appalachian State; 136. UNC Greensboro; 161. Furman; 188. Samford; 202. College of Charleston; 260. Western Carolina;

Southland: 87. Stephen F. Austin; 90. Texas State; 93. McNeese State; 106. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; 112. Texas-Arlington; 121. Ncholls State; 140. UTSA; 150. Sam Houston State; 180. Northwestern State; 203. Central Arkansas; 237. Southeastern Louisiana.

Southwestern Athletic: 255. Alabama State; 263. Southern U.; 266. Alcorn State; 275. Texas Southern; 278. Jackson State; 284. Grambling; 287. Prairie View A&M; 288. Arkansas-Pine Bluff; 289. Alabama A&M.

Summit League: 97. Western Illinois; 164. North Dakota State; 205. IPFW; 214. UMKC; 239. South Dakota State; 252. IUPUI; 259. Oakland; 265. Centenary; 271. Southern Utah.

Sun Belt: 29. Louisiana-Lafayette; 41. FIU; 56. North Texas; 68. Florida Atlantic; 85. Troy; 86. South Alabama; 116. Middle Tennessee; 120. Western Kentucky; 125. Louisiana-Monroe.

Western Athletic: 16. Hawaii; 46. Fresno State; 102. San Jose State; 103. Louisiana Tech; 119. New Mexico State; 135. Nevada; 175. Utah State; 186. Boise State;

Independents: 54. Longwood; 163. SIU Edwardsville; 261. Houston Baptist; 270. South Dakota; 274. North Dakota; 280. Savannah State; 281. Winston-Salem; 286. North Carolina Central.