LSU softball earns No. 3 seed

• Advocate news services
• Published: May 5, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:45 a.m.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — An offensive explosion that included four doubles and a home run led the 15th-ranked LSU softball team to a 9-0, run-rule win over South Carolina in six innings on Sunday afternoon at Beckham Field.

With the win, the Tigers (41-15, 17-11 Southeastern Conference) wrapped up the third seed heading into the SEC Tournament at Tiger Park on Thursday. The win put LSU ahead of Tennessee by percentage points in the league standings, and the Tigers will play sixth-seeded Auburn at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

“I’m really proud of the team today,” LSU coach Yvette Girouard said. “They understood the importance of the game. We had a goal set, and we met it. On to the tournament, where we have to have a championship mentality from here on in.”

South Carolina (21-26, 8-18) ended just percentage points behind Ole Miss for the eighth and last spot in the league tournament.

Three Tigers recorded three hits in the contest as Quinlan Duhon was 3-for-3 with a home run and four RBIs, while Rachel Mitchell and Killian Roessner were both 3-for-4 with two doubles each. Roessner and Tayl’r Hollis each posted a pair of RBIs, while Mitchell had one. Cody Trahan earned the complete-game shutout win to improve to 17-4 on the season. She allowed only two hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

“I thought Cody threw great,” Girouard said. “She was in total control. Rachel Mitchell and Quinlan Duhon continue to hit the ball about as hard as you can possibly hit it. We continue to get stellar defensive play from Jessica Mouse and the entire team.”

Krystle Robinson (8-7) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with a strikeout in 1/3 of an inning. Melissa Hendon came on in relief and gave up four runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings