(photo credit: Michael Bacigalupi)
BATON ROUGE, La. – Despite fighting back to tie the game three times, including twice in the final two innings, LSU could not complete the rally as it fell to Southeastern Louisiana, 8-7, to bow out of regional play on Saturday night at Tiger Park.
LSU concludes its season at 42-16, while Southeastern Louisiana moves to 50-15.
Pitcher Sydney Berzon (18-8) was charged with the loss after entering the game in relief in the bottom of the fifth inning. The pitcher allowed one run on three hits with one walk in 1.1 innings pitched.
Southeastern pitcher Britney Lewinski (10-5) earned the victory after allowing one run on one hit with one walk in 1.1 innings of work.
LSU and Southeastern tied for eight hits in the game. Three Tigers finished with multiple hits led by outfielder Jalia Lassiter, who was 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBI, joined by outfielders Jadyn Laneaux (2-4, R, 2 RBI) and McKenzie Redoutey (2-for-2, 2 R, BB) in pacing the offense.
Infielder Danieca Coffey opened the game with a leadoff single and advanced two bases on an error by the left fielder before touching home plate thanks to Lassiter’s run-scoring single. However, Southeastern replied at the bottom of the first with four unearned runs and no hits to take a 4-1 lead.
After two scoreless frames, the Tigers caught momentum in the fourth with three runs, courtesy of consecutive RBI singles by infielder Sierra Daniel and Lassiter, capped with a wild pitch to plate Daniel, knotting the score at 4-4.
Southeastern regained its advantage at 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning after capitalizing on an LSU error and defensive miscue, but the Tigers clapped back in the top of the sixth to tie the game again. Laneaux reached on an SLU throwing error, and infielder Avery Hodge was hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position. Two batters later, Lassiter laced a game-tying two-run double to left-center field to get Tiger Park on its feet. The Lions jumped back on top entering the seventh inning with an RBI single up the middle by designated player Brilee Ford.
In the top of the seventh, Redoutey wore a pitch to get the inning started, and two batters later, Laneaux secured her second RBI of the day with a single down the left field line to tie the game at 7-7. But in the bottom of the seventh, SLU loaded the bases with no outs, and a runner beat the throw home on a fielder’s choice to walk off LSU and advance to the regional final.
**LSU Press Release**
