It was the bottom of the 10th inning in the first game of the Tiger Classic, and LSU softball and Boise State were tied at 2-2.
Neither team had scored since the top of the sixth.
After a five-inning drought, the Tigers and the Broncos were eager to find the run that would end this monotonous extended play.
LSU knew if it wanted the win, there would need to be an energy change.
“We always talk about faking it until it feels real,” shortstop Taylor Pleasants said. “In that instance, our cheering needs to be way more … We play the best when everyone’s crazy, we’re hype, we’re up.”
Pleasants, who leads LSU in RBI with 17, was 0-for-4 until the last inning. She needed to make an adjustment in her final at-bat.
Stepping up to the plate, Pleasants sat back on a changeup. She swung with perfect timing to launch the ball past the centerfield fence for the walk-off win. The Tigers were able to stay undefeated and extend their record to 9-0.
These close-game wins are becoming a theme for LSU.
In the Clearwater Invitational last weekend, LSU barely survived Northwestern and No. 6 Oklahoma State. The Tigers’ offense managed to produce clutch walk-off hits in both matchups.
“I think more than talent or any of the things, we have the ability to be gritty and be tough in those situations,” head coach Beth Torina said. “The offense was gritty tonight with Taylor getting that big hit.”
To complement LSU’s offensive capabilities, Sydney Berzon was on fire in the circle. She threw 11 strikeouts and only walked one batter.
“My goal all the time, even with extra innings, is to stay as loose as possible,” Berzon said. “I never really want to feel like it’s getting tense.”
In the bottom of the second inning, right fielder Mckenzie Redoutey hit her first home run of the season to put the Tigers on the board. In the next at bat for LSU, Hannah Carson continued to put pressure on offense. She hit a fly ball to shallow center field, which brought left fielder Ali Newland home.
The Broncos were struggling to find rhythm on defense in the first five innings. Missing pop flies and easy outs, Boise State was letting LSU consistently get on base. With zero hits before the sixth inning, the Broncos were not producing offensively.
However, a momentum shift surfaced in Boise State’s next at-bat.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Alycia Flores hit a powerful ground ball to center. Sophia Knight and Abby Bumcrot scored.
The game was tied, and it came down to one LSU player to get the win. Pleasants passed the test with flying colors.
LSU will play Boise State again on Friday at 4 p.m. and University of Houston at 6:30 p.m. The Tigers will round out the tournament with another game against Houston on Saturday at 4 p.m. and play Austin Peay at 6:30 p.m.
“Not the best way to start the weekend,” Torina said. “But we’ll take the win.”
