LSU Athletics
STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State pitcher Alyssa Faircloth fired 120 pitches and struck out 11 batters to lead No. 17/19 Mississippi State to a 5-3 series-opening win over No. 20/15 LSU on Friday night at Nusz Park.
With the loss, LSU’s (32-15, 9-10 SEC) four-game winning streak comes to a halt, while Mississippi State (35-14, 7-12 SEC) picks up its first win since April 10, ending its five-game skid.
Paytn Monticelli received no decision after entering the game in the third inning and retired the first seven batters she faced, highlighted by 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth frames. Monticelli gave up two hits and one earned run in the final 3.1 innings. Jayden Heavener (11-7) was handed the loss after giving up three runs on four hits, walking two, and having one strikeout in 2.2 innings.
LSU scattered five hits in the game, including Jalia Lassiter’s RBI double. Maci Bergeron, Tori Edwards, Avery Hodge, and Ally Hutchins each had hits in the game. Hodge scored two runs in the contest.
Faircloth (11-5) earned the win, and her 11 punchouts pushed her past 200 strikeouts on the season. The junior pitcher surrendered five hits, three runs, and five walks. Leila Ammon recorded her first save of the season after recording the final out of the game.
LSU’s leadoff hitter reached first base safely in each of the first three innings, and the Tigers took advantage in the top of the third with a run-scoring double by Lassiter to the gap in left field, scoring Hodge from first base, who opened the inning with a walk. The Bulldogs responded in the bottom half inning, however, and took a 3-1 lead off Paige Ernstes’ three-run homer.
Mississippi State added two runs on two hits, aided by two LSU errors in the sixth, for a 5-1 lead. LSU got the two runs back on a pair of two-out RBI walks by Kylee Edwards and T. Edwards, scoring Hodge and Huthins, who opened the seventh with a single (Hodge) and double (Hutchins) to begin the rally. The attempt fell short, however, with the Tigers ending the game with the bases loaded and a 5-3 setback.
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