LSU Athletics
COLUMBIA, S.C. – A 12-inning battle resulted in a 6-5 walk-off loss for No. 22/19 LSU against No. 21/24 South Carolina to open the three-game series on Friday night at Carolina Softball Stadium.
Both clubs were held scoreless for six consecutive innings after the fifth concluded locked in a 5-5 tie. In the extra-inning periods, each team had one hit entering the 12th, before South Carolina (21-10, 1-3 SEC) had two, including the game-winning RBI single by Lexi Winters that scored Arianna Rodi, who also singled earlier in the 12th.
LSU (19-10, 1-6 SEC) logged 11 hits in the setback, marking the most in an SEC game this season. It is the fifth time LSU has reached double-digit hits in a game this year. Three Tigers had multiple hits in the game. Kylee Edwards had a 3-for-6 performance at the plate, highlighted by her second home run and second triple of the season, and drove in a career-best four RBI. Jalia Lassiter had two two-out doubles and scored one run in the game, and Sierra Daniel was 2-for-6 in the batter’s box.
Jayden Heavener (6-6) suffered the loss after firing 111 pitches in 7.1 innings in relief. Heavener fanned six batters and gave up one run on six hits. Heavener did not walk a batter in her appearance. Tatum Clopton started the game in the circle for LSU but did not receive a decision after pitching 2.0 innings, where she recorded one strikeout and allowed three runs on six hits. Paytn Monticelli pitched 2.1 innings in relief, where she had two strikeouts and surrendered two runs, three hits, and a walk.
Pitcher Nealy Lamb improved to 4-4 for South Carolina after pitching the final 3.0 innings of shutout softball. Lamb finished with four strikeouts, gave up one hit, and walked one batter. Jori Heard pitched 7.0 innings in relief and concluded with six strikeouts and gave up seven hits, two runs, and two walks.
South Carolina scored first behind a pair of solo home runs in the second inning by Tate Davis and Jamie Mackay. LSU responded in the top of the third by loading the bases with no outs, forcing an early Gamecock pitching change. After a leadoff double by Lassiter and a walk by Tori Edwards, Char Lorenz singled through the left side, putting a runner on each bag. A ground out by Maci Bergeron scored Lassiter, and K. Edwards welcomed the new hurler with a two-out, two-run single through the right side, giving LSU a 3-2 lead. After the Gamecocks opened the bottom of the third with two singles, Monticelli entered the circle and recorded all three outs in the frame, including a strikeout, but not before South Carolina tied the contest, 3-3, on an RBI groundout.
After a clean fourth inning for both teams, Bergeron jump-started the fifth with a double, and K. Edwards gave the Tigers the lead again, this time with a two RBI shot to centerfield. South Carolina answered with a two-run, four-hit frame, however, highlighted by an RBI single by Davis and an RBI double by Winters as part of a stretch with four consecutive hits. The fifth inning concluded with the clubs tied, 5-5.
After a scoreless sixth inning, LSU threatened in the seventh with a two-out triple by K. Edwards, but South Carolina escaped without giving up a run. Heavener and the defense retired the Gamecocks in order in the bottom of the seventh, however, sending the game to extras.
Up Next
The second game of the series will be at 2 p.m. CT on SEC Network+.
**LSU PRESS RELEASE**
