No. 17 LSU softball couldn’t close out a late-game comeback Sunday, losing a defensive matchup to No. 16 Texas A&M, 3-2, on a windy night at Tiger Park.
The Tigers entered this contest with hopes of securing their first conference win of the season after being beaten by the Aggies 7-2 on Saturday. With A&M ranked only one spot higher than LSU, fans expected a closer game this go around, still waiting to see the Tigers beat their first-ranked opponent of the season.
Despite these expectations, LSU again couldn’t get its bats going, only recording three hits while giving up six.
This was another example of LSU not starting strong, as the Tigers managed only one hit through the first five innings while giving up two runs in the first. LSU left too much to chase later in the contest, making two late runs still not enough to come back from early struggles.
Cece Cellura would be one of the few bright spots from the contest. She finished her second complete game of the season, looking sharp despite a rough start. She ended her night with a season-high six strikeouts and only gave up six hits.
Cellura was elected to start Game 2 of the series after Jayden Heavner’s loss the day prior. Despite a strong overall performance, Cellura would struggle early on, giving up a hit on the first at-bat and a two-run homer only two pitches later.
Texas A&M star first baseman Mya Perez would be the one to send runners home, continuing her extraordinary weekend with her second home run of the series, while staying 4-4 at-bat.
LSU would try to rally back in the bottom of the first, advancing two runners through walks, but solid pitching ended the inning with the Aggies in control.
LSU’s fielding seemed to wake up in the second inning, getting three quick outs to hold a two-run difference.
Kylee Edwards dominated the inning, forcing all three outs. She made an acrobatic slide to secure a groundout before later forcing a double play off a nice catch and throw, forcing an Aggies runner out while retreating to first.
In the third, LSU’s fielding would stay strong against the top of the Aggies’ batting order, getting a 1-2-3 inning. The Tigers seemed to be building momentum after a single by Avery Hodge turned into two bases due to a Texas A&M throwing error. The Aggies would give up another base to Maci Bergeron shortly after, but two Tiger flyouts ended the inning without an LSU run.
Cellura would continue heating up in the fourth, dealing two strikeouts before forcing a groundout. This would result in a third straight scoreless inning for the Aggies, as Tiger Park grew more antsy to chip into the two-run lead.
Tiger fans started to grow louder after Char Lorenz was hit by a pitch on the first at-bat of the inning. The excitement would quickly dissolve, though, after A&M’s defense secured a strikeout and groundout to force another scoreless inning.
To add insult to injury, Cellura stalled out in the sixth inning, allowing three hits, including another RBI to Perez. The late surge of batting by the Aggies made a comeback a lot less likely, increasing the lead to three with one and a half innings to go.
With LSU’s backs completely against the wall, Tori Edwards smashed a potentially game-changing home run into left field, dropping the A&M lead to two.
The great hit by Edwards would not be built upon, however, as Lorenz and Alix Franklin were later forced out to end the inning 3-1.
The game was left in the hands of LSU’s batters, with the squad needing a two-run inning to force extra innings.
Tiger Park would start to turn up again after getting two runners on base, with Maddox McKee being hit by a pitch before Ci’ella Pickett drove a single to left field. Kylee Edwards would advance runners to second and third with a bunt before Hodge sent McKee home.
Jaila Lassiter was then hit by a pitch, putting another runner on base, with Bergeron on deck to send a runner home while on two outs. Bergeron fouled her first two pitches, digging herself an even deeper hole.
On a 1-2 count, Bergeron would let the comeback slip through her hands after hitting a flyout into center field.
Now LSU looks to finish with at least one win against the Aggies when they face off in the last game of the series on Monday at 6 p.m.
