After dropping four consecutive games, LSU softball climbed out of its losing streak with a series finale victory over Missouri.

However, Missouri won the series 2-1. 

The battle between the two Tiger teams made for an even match. Going into these games, both teams had lost their previous conference series, racking up multiple losses.

READ MORE: Three LSU softball players who shined despite 2-1 series loss to Ole Miss

The Missouri Tigers were able to shake off the slump, while LSU couldn’t get its groove back until game three on Sunday. 

The LSU Tigers’ two losses were intense, back-and-forth battles in which the offense couldn’t produce tying or winning runs. LSU lost 10-9 on Friday and 3-2 on Saturday. 

In the final game, the Tigers changed its losing status with a two-out rally in the sixth inning. Kelley Lynch hit a single, bringing home two runners. LSU won 4-3. 

LSU is now 25-4 and 5-4 in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers are ranked fourth in the SEC. 

Here are three takeaways from LSU’s series loss:

Whether an offensive battle or pitcher’s duel, LSU couldn’t win close games.

In both losses, LSU let early leads slip away, each for a different reason. 

In game one, the LSU offense produced hits when pitching lacked. Then on Saturday, pitching shined when the offense was deficient. 

In the first inning of game one, LSU put up three runs. However, ace pitcher Sydney Berzon uncharacteristically gave up seven runs in two innings. 

The Tiger offense scored six more runs to earn a 9-7 lead in the fourth inning. However, Lynch, in as reliever, gave up three runs. 

The lead changed four times in this game, and the score was tied up three times. Because the pitching staff was lacking, LSU’s offense shined to keep the team competitive. The Tigers just couldn’t find one late run to send the game into extra innings. 

In game two, starting pitcher Raelin Chaffin gave up three runs in the third inning to halt LSU’s 2-0 lead. Berzon came in and redeemed her performance from the day before. 

She had six strikeouts, walked zero batters and gave up zero runs. 

Berzon and Missouri’s pitchers went back and forth to end innings quickly, leaving batters hitless and innings scoreless. But again, LSU let Missouri score late to win. 

Strongest offensive threat against Missouri: Raeleen Gutierrez 

It was 7-7 in the fourth inning of game one when first baseman Gutierrez stepped up to the plate. 

Taylor Pleasants was on first base, and the count was full. Gutierrez blasted a fastball over the center-field fence for a two-run home run, giving LSU the lead. It was her fifth home run of the season.

Gutierrez showed offensive power multiple times during this game. She matched a career-high record by logging four RBIs. Gutierrez had a total of three hits and is now hitting .366 on the season. 

She was the only player on either team that had four hits in the series.

LSU is still trying to figure out its batting order after losing lead-off hitter Danieca Coffey. Head coach Beth Torina has moved around the lineup each game, but Gutierrez has stayed consistent in the fourth spot. 

Multiple miscues cost the Tigers easy outs to stop hits and runs 

LSU had a total of five errors in three games. However, the most surprising one came from two-time Golden Glove winner Ciara Briggs. 

In the third game, Briggs sprinted for a fly ball that was closer to the right fielder, but she yelled “ball.” 

Diving for the out, Briggs misjudged how far to her left the ball was hit, and it dropped from her glove. 

It was Briggs’ fourth career error and first since her freshman year. She had over 200 consecutive put-outs. 

Also in the final game was an error by second baseman Karli Petty that led to a run. The ground ball came out of her glove, and Missouri catcher Julia Crenshaw was given enough time to score from third. 

Freshman Sierra Daniel was playing third when a hard ground ball hit the tip of her glove and kept rolling. Runners advanced to second and third base. 

The Tigers will have the chance to clean up their fielding in the next away game against Nicholls State at 6 p.m. on Tuesday before playing Texas A&M on March 28.