(Photo by LSU Athletics)
BATON ROUGE, La. – A pair of three-run innings helped No. 24/23 Alabama avoid the series sweep as it defeated No. 5/7 LSU 8-3 Sunday afternoon at Tiger Park.
Final.
BAMA – 8
LSU – 5— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) April 6, 2025
Although falling short in the finale, LSU (34-5, 8-4 SEC) topped Alabama (28-15, 5-7 SEC) in the three-game series, 2-1, and leads the SEC with 13 Top 25 wins.
“This was a good series win, especially when you are playing a team in the Top 25, like Alabama,” said head coach Beth Torina. “Sure, we have to go back to the drawing board a little and make some better decisions throughout the game and how we manage the staff, but that is on me. Despite that, this is still a big series win, and I thought we had an opportunity to win this game as well.”
LSU starting pitcher Ashley Vallejo (2-1) was charged with the loss after giving up four hits, two earned runs, and two walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings. Pitcher Jayden Heavener worked 3.2 innings, firing 77 pitches, and surrendered seven hits, four earned runs, two walks, and two strikeouts.
Alabama pitcher Catelyn Riley (9-1) received the win. Riley gave up three hits, two runs (one earned), two walks and one strikeout in 4.2 innings.
Infielder Tori Edwards led LSU at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing, scored two runs, and had two RBI off her 14th home run of the season. Edwards has turned in 14 multi-hit and multi-RBI games this season. Designated player Savanna Bedell registered her second multi-hit game of the series, hitting 2-for-3 and driving in one run.
For the third time this series, LSU scored first and held a 1-0 lead after the opening inning thanks to catcher Maci Bergeron’s sac fly.
Alabama got the run back in the top of the second thanks to outfielder Lauren Johnson’s two-out RBI single and built a 4-1 advantage after plating three runs on three hits with two LSU errors in the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Johnson. Bama stretched its lead to 5-1 in the fifth after Johnson’s RBI single for her fourth RBI of the day.
LSU started to rally in the sixth, making it a two-run game at 5-3 after RBI singles from Bedell and infielder Maddox McKee. However, Bama responded in the top of the seventh with outfielder Audrey Vandagriff’s three-run home run to expand the lead to 8-3.
The Tigers picked up the bats in the bottom of the seventh, and Bergeron hit a one-out double before Edwards brought her home with a 303-foot shot to left field. However, the following two batters were recorded outs for the Tide to pick up the 8-5 win.
Up Next
LSU will face Louisiana Tech at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday, April 9, at Tiger Park.
