No. 5 LSU softball showed grit versus Southern Mississippi Saturday, picking up its 13th win on the season.
However, the Tigers did not cruise past the Golden Eagles like the teams they’ve played this season.
LSU knocked off ranked Virginia Tech and Northwestern University twice, while Southern Miss put up more of a threat to the Tigers’ undefeated record.
The team turned back to their characteristically hot bats and quick feet late in the game to blow out Southern Miss.
LSU and Southern Miss played a back-and-forth game. Both teams fought back from behind, but the purple and gold took a late lead and stuck with it.
The Tigers came up with three insurance runs in the fifth inning, and McKenzie Redoutey’s hot streak at the plate continued, hitting a two-run double.
Redoutey also saved Jayden Heavener from her first loss of the season with an RBI single in the fourth inning to tie the game after Tatum Clopton closed the third inning.
Maddox McKee scored the first go-ahead run for LSU in the fourth inning.
Heavener started in the circle for the Tigers and gave up her first home run of her career in the second inning.
After more trouble at the top of the fourth inning, Clopton came in to end it, with LSU trailing by two.
The Tigers had a rough start, marking only the third game of the season they did not score first or score in the first inning, but that doesn’t mean Southern Miss went down without a fight.
Clopton faced challenges in the circle in the shape of the Golden Eagles. They fought back, putting up quality at-bats and getting on base.
LSU’s defense came up clutch to keep themselves in the ball game early, making the routine plays and not making costly errors.
Clopton got the win in the circle, coming up clutch with big strikeouts and fielding her position with the best.
LSU topped the Golden Eagles 12-5 on 14 hits through 7 innings.
The Tigers earned their stripes after this game. Not only was it the third game they had to come from behind in, this deficit was larger than any they’ve faced.
This young team has put it together this season, genuinely showing there is no challenge too big or too small for them.
LSU will look to tackle its next challenge at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., when they play No. 4 UCLA on Thursday afternoon.
