BATON ROUGE, La. – Third-ranked LSU suffered its first SEC series loss this season after dropping both games in Sunday’s doubleheader to No. 10/11 South Carolina, 5-3 in eight innings, and 4-1 on Sunday at Tiger Park.
LSU (31-3, 6-3 SEC) falls in consecutive games for the first time this season, and South Carolina (26-7, 3-5 SEC) picks up its first SEC series win over LSU since 2017.
In the first game, the Gamecocks capitalized on four early and uncharacteristic LSU errors and scored four runs in the seventh and eighth innings combined to even the series with a 5-3 victory. In the second game, although LSU outhit SC 6-5, the Tigers were held to a season-low one run in the 4-1 series-deciding game.
Designated player Savanna Bedell (.500) had a team-high three hits, two runs, and two RBI, including her first career home run in the first game. Infielder Tori Edwards (2-for-6) and outfielders Jadyn Laneaux (2-for-6) and Jalia Lassiter (2-for-7) rounded out LSU’s multi-hitters for the day.
Game 1
LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon (14-2) threw all 8.0 innings, registered four strikeouts, and allowed four earned runs, six hits, and four walks in the loss.
South Carolina’s pitcher Sam Gress (8-3) earned the complete game victory. Gress tallied seven strikeouts while rendering seven hits, three runs, and three walks.
Bedell went 3-for-3 at the plate for the Tigers, including her first career home run in the fifth frame, and scored two runs. Edwards was 2-for-4 at the dish, and infielder Danieca Coffey was 1-for-2 and had a team-high two RBI.
South Carolina capitalized on two LSU defensive miscues and scored one run in the first inning. After a scoreless second stanza, Bedell led off the third with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sac bunt. Coffey singled over to the shortstop, and Bedell came home from second base to tie the game, 1-1 after three.
In the fifth, Bedell went opposite field for a solo shot that gave LSU a 2-1 lead. South Carolina pushed back, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh to regain a 3-2 advantage, but LSU responded in the bottom half inning to force extras. Infielder Sierra Daniel drew a leadoff walk, and Bedell registered her third hit of the game to put runners on the corners. Coffey tied the game with a sacrifice fly two batters later as the teams went into extras knotted at three runs.
For the second consecutive inning, the Gamecocks scored two runs to grab a 5-3 margin that would hold. SC’s infielder Brooke Blankenship single down the right field line to give the visiting the go-ahead run. The Tigers had one runner in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh thanks to Edwards’ stand-up double, but a pair of flyouts ended the game for the South Carolina equalizer.
Game 2
LSU pitcher Jayden Heavener (9-2) was handed the loss, despite fanning 10 batters in 7.0 innings. Heaver has turned in five games this season with 10 or more strikeouts. In Sunday’s appearance, the southpaw surrendered four runs on five hits and walked five batters.
SC’s starting pitcher, Jori Heard (11-2), was given the win with five strikeouts and allowed one run, four hits, and two walks in 6.0 innings. Gress made her second appearance of the day to record her second save of the season, registering one strikeout and giving up two hits in the final inning.
Laneaux and Lassiter were both 2-for-3 in the game to lead LSU offensively.
Although Heavener struck out the side in the top of the first inning, the Gamecocks walked in a run after drawing three walks and were hit by a pitch. In the top of the second, SC’s Quincee Lilio hit a run-scoring single to give the visiting club a 2-0 lead, but Bedell put the Tigers on the board in the bottom half inning with a groundout RBI, making the score 2-1.
From there, LSU was held to six base runners for the remainder of the game, including two in the seventh. Both ballclubs went scoreless in the third and fourth innings, but South Carolina’s catcher Lexi Winters hit an RBI single in the fifth, and pinch hitter Mya Flindt hit her first collegiate home run (solo) in the sixth that stretched the Gamecocks’ lead to 4-1.
LSU had a couple of two-out singles against Heard, who entered in the seventh inning but closed the door with a strikeout to secure the series win.
Up Next
LSU will travel to Lake Charles, La., for a midweek tilt against McNeese at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1.
**LSU Press Release**
