The Tigers will hope their 40-win resume is enough to host a regional in the NCAA tournament.
For the second-straight season, LSU’s run at the SEC softball tournament came to an end in the first round thanks to a seed upset. The No. 6-seeded Tigers lost to Ole Miss on Wednesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with a 5-3 extra-innings loss.
Despite overall solid performances on the mound, the Tigers struggled to get run support and were very sloppy defensively outside of the pitching, recording four errors.
After starting pitcher [autotag]Sydney Berzon[/autotag] retired three straight to begin the game, LSU got the scoring started in the bottom of the first. After issuing a four-pitch walk to leadoff hitter [autotag]Danieca Coffey[/autotag], who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Ole Miss allowed an RBI single to [autotag]Georgia Clark[/autotag] to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
However, that lead wouldn’t last thanks to some sloppy play in the field. The leadoff hitter reached on a fielding error in the top of the third, advancing to second and third after a passed ball.
A fielder’s choice followed by a throwing error allowed the tying run to score, and an RBI single added a second unearned run against Berzon. She escaped the inning, but not before the Rebels took a 2-1 lead.
Another defensive lapse cost LSU a third run in the top of the fifth. Berzon recorded an error when a tapper bounced out of her glove, keeping her from recording the inning-ending out at home. Then, an errant throw home from Karli Petty allowed another run to cross home as the Tigers recorded their fourth error of the game.
LSU finally got something going on offense in the bottom of the fifth. After a pair of singles put runners at first and second, a two-RBI double from [autotag]Taylor Pleasants[/autotag] knotted things up at three. Ole Miss starter Caitlyn Riley was chased from the mound after issuing a walk, but Aynslie Furbush got a pair of outs to avoid any more damage.
With the game still tied heading into the seventh, the Rebels threatened at the top of the frame with a leadoff double, which ended Berzon’s day after 5 2/3 innings. She allowed five hits but no earned runs and struck out seven batters.
[autotag]Ali Kilponen[/autotag] entered and managed to end the threat with three straight outs, though. In the bottom of the inning, Pleasants got into scoring position after a two-out walk and a wild pitch, but LSU couldn’t capitalize as the game went to extras.
After a quiet eighth inning in which both pitchers retired the side in order, Kilponen found herself in a bit of a jam to start the ninth. She gave up a pair of two-out singles, but she got out of the inning unscathed with a strikeout.
But LSU couldn’t contain the Rebels forever. After a leadoff single in the top of the 10th, Kilponen allowed a two-run homer to Paige Smith, which gave Ole Miss a 5-3 lead. Kilponen didn’t allow any additional runs, but the damage had been done.
Down to its last chance, LSU got Clark on in the bottom of the 10th after a four-pitch walk, but with two outs, it wasn’t enough. A deep hit ball from [autotag]Ali Newland[/autotag] was snagged in left-center with a fantastic catch from Jalia Lassiter to end the game.
With LSU’s run coming to an end in Fayetteville, the Tigers will hope their 40-win resume is enough to host an NCAA regional. NCAA tournament selections will be made on Sunday at 6 p.m. CT.
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