Haeger does it all as she leads Gators to shutout
OKLAHOMA CITY — Lauren Haeger hit a two-run homer and threw a complete game to help Florida beat LSU 4-0 on Friday night in the Women’s College World Series.
The defending champion Gators (57-6) are one win away from heading back to the championship series. LSU (51-13) will face elimination tonight.
“It’s a great feeling to get your players some rest, some shopping, other little things that we like to do,” Florida coach Tim Walton said.
Haeger’s two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning opened the scoring. It was her 70th career homer, making her the only NCAA player with at least 70 pitching wins and 70 home runs.
“That is a really cool accomplishment, and I just hope I can keep it going,” she said.
Freshman Nicole DeWitt hit a solo homer, just her second of the season, in the top of the sixth inning to put the Gators up 3-0 and chase LSU’s Carley Hoover.
Haeger, the national player of the year, threw just 79 pitches, giving up five hits, striking out four and walking none.
Center fielder Kirsti Merritt was 3-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Gators. DeWitt was 2-for4 with the home run and two runs scored, and catcher Aubree Munro was 2-for-3.
LSU had won two of the three regular-season meetings and scored a combined 24 runs in the victories.
Gators first baseman Taylor Schwarz, a former Palm Beach Gardens standout, was 0-for-3 with three groundouts.