LSU Athletics
BATON ROUGE, La. – For the second consecutive game, Tori Edwards drove in the game-winning run in the sixth inning and No. 22/17 LSU clinched the series with a tight 7-6 win over Ole Miss on Saturday night at Tiger Park.
LSU (31-14, 8-9 SEC) earned its third SEC series win and first at home this season with a back-and-forth 7-6 victory over Ole Miss (27-20, 2-15 SEC).
In the bottom of the sixth with the score tied, 6-6, Jalia Lassiter walked, and singles from Sierra Daniel and Alix Franklin loaded the bases. T. Edwards battled through nine pitches to draw her second walk, driving in the go-ahead run and finishing the day with a hit and two RBI.
Ole Miss put two in scoring position in the seventh, but LSU’s Paytn Monticelli ended the game with her second strikeout and secured her second win of the series. She is 5-3 after 1.2 relief innings, allowing one hit and a walk.
“It’s cool to see so many people contribute,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “People are really understanding their role. Some may not have the role they wanted when the season started, but they’ve embraced it and are performing well. Whether it’s leading off an inning, pinch running, or catching the last pitch, they’ve accepted whatever role we ask. We have a deep team with many contributors. It feels like you’re playing against 23 players when you face us.”
LSU tallied nine hits, including three players with multiple hits. Kylee Edwards had a 2-for-4 day at the plate and drove in three runs, marking her 10th multi-RBI game of the season. Franklin (2-for-4) and Ally Hutchins (2-for-3) each had two hits and scored a run. Daniel and Lassiter also had a hit and a walk. Daniel scored one run, and Lassiter matched her career-high with three runs.
Jayden Heavener pitched the first two innings, giving up four runs, two hits, five walks, and one strikeout. Tatum Clopton then entered in the third, retired her first five batters, and allowed two runs on two hits, two walks, and struck out two over 3.1 innings.
Ole Miss’ Lilly Whitten (6-1) took her first loss, allowing five hits, three runs, four walks, and recording the Rebels’ lone strikeout.
Ole Miss opened the game with a solo home run by Mackenzie Pickens in the top of the first. However, LSU quickly responded, taking a 2-1 lead in the home half. Lassiter was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Daniel’s walk, and scored on K. Edwards’ single to left field. Then, Daniel took advantage of a throwing error and scored an unearned run to give LSU the lead.
The Rebels added three in the second, highlighted by Pickens’ two-run double for a 4-2 lead. In the bottom half, Hutchins doubled and scored LSU’s second unearned run after an error, cutting it to 4-3.
Clopton entered in the third, retiring three on nine pitches and yielding the game’s first scoreless half-inning. LSU tied it at 4-4 after back-to-back doubles by Franklin and T. Edwards (RBI).
LSU regained the lead at 6-4 in the fourth. Avery Hodge drew a one-out walk. Lassiter doubled to left field to put both runners in scoring position. K. Edwards came through with another single to left field for her third RBI of the day.
Clopton sent the Rebels out in order in the fifth, ending with her second strikeout of the night. It was the Rebels’ third consecutive scoreless inning. The visiting team tied the game in the top of the sixth, however, thanks to a two-run single by Kennedy Bunker.
The Tigers re-established their lead in the bottom of the sixth with T. Edwards’ go-ahead RBI walk, and LSU outlasted the Rebels’ threat in the seventh to win the series in two games.
*LSU PRESS RELEASE*
