(Photo credit: @lsusoftball on X)
ATHENS, Ga. – The third-ranked LSU softball team scored nine unanswered runs, highlighted by outfielder Jalia Lassiter’s grand slam in the fourth inning to run-rule No. 13/15 Georgia 10-2 in six innings on Saturday at Jack Turner Softball Stadium.
Series Clinched.#Volume33 pic.twitter.com/4LGH5WmM2H
— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 22, 2025
LSU improves to 29-1 and 5-0 in the SEC, while Georgia drops to 22-8 and 2-6 in league play. LSU secured the series against Georgia, marking the seventh consecutive series victory for the Tigers over the Bulldogs. Saturday’s run-rule triumph was the first against UGA in Athens since March 31, 2001 (8-0, five innings).
The Tigers trailed 2-1 after three innings but blew the game open in the fourth with six runs on four hits and scored three runs in the final two innings combined to secure the run-rule. After the Bulldogs scored two runs in the third, pitcher Jayden Heavener allowed only one hit for the remainder of the game, and the defense sent the Dawgs out in order in the sixth to end the game.
LSU’s 10 hits Saturday was the club’s 15th game this season with double-digit hits. Lassiter led the Tigers with a career-best 4-for-4 performance, including her grand slam, which was her first homer as an LSU Tiger. Lassiter also scored two runs. Infielder Tori Edwards was 3-for-4 at the plate to log her 11th multi-hit game this season and scored two runs. Infielder Sierra Daniel drove in a career-high three RBI in the win.
Heavener (8-1) received the complete-game win with five strikeouts and rendered only two hits and two runs.
UGA’s hurler, Lilli Backes (9-3), was charged with the loss after recording the staff’s three strikeouts and allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks in 4.0 innings.
For the second consecutive game in the second inning, Daniel drove in a run, this time on a run-scoring single up the middle that plated outfielder McKenzie Redoutey, who drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the third inning, a hit-by-pitch and two walks loaded the bases with no outs for the Bulldogs. Outfielder Jayden Goodwin singled two to bring home the tying run, and UGA took a 2-1 lead after catcher Marisa Miller’s sacrifice fly.
LSU regained the lead with a big six-run fourth inning. The Tigers loaded the bases quickly with a leadoff double by Edwards, a single by Redoutey, and a walk by pinch-hitter Sydney Peterson with no outs. Two batters later, designated player McKaela Walker walked in a run to tie the game 2-2, and infielder Avery Hodge followed with a run-scoring single up the middle to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. After UGA registered the second out, with the bases still juiced, Lassiter hit a two-out blast to center field, and LSU ended the inning with a 7-2 lead.
The Tigers scored three runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings. Daniel walked in two runs, one in both frames, and Redoutey had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to push LSU’s lead to 10-2.
Up Next
The series finale between LSU and Georgia will be at 1 p.m. CT Sunday.
**LSU Press Release**
