No. 20 LSU softball came away with its third straight win on Tuesday after a dominant 9-0 victory against in-state rivals Louisiana Tech.
The matchup was head coach Beth Torina’s 600th win, a monumental achievement for the winningest coach in LSU softball history.
This also marked LSU’s eighth mercy rule and sixth shutout of the season.
LSU was in complete control from the beginning of the game, putting up one of its best starts of the season with eight runs in the first two innings. This was a breath of fresh air for Tiger fans, who hadn’t seen an opening like that in some time due to the struggles LSU has faced early in games throughout this year.
Torina gave Paytn Monticelli her fifth start of the season, and she looked strong through the contest, only giving up one hit on what was the first at-bat of the game. She also recorded three strikeouts in the first inning and later finished with seven strikeouts total through only three innings.
Despite the strong pitching, LA Tech’s offense looked better than many expected in the first inning. They were the first of the contest to get on base after a groundball to first base was dropped by Tori Edwards. Monticelli then gave up a walk, putting two runners on base early on.
LSU’s defense didn’t let up a run in the first, and carried that momentum to the plate. The Tigers quickly got two runners on base after a Jailia Lassiter leadoff single and a Sierra Daniel bunt.
Things got much tougher for the Lady Techsters after Tori Edwards’ first at-bat, where she smacked a groundball through center field. That hit sent Lassiter home while advancing runners to second and third base.
Daniel advanced home on the next pitch after being marked safe on a slide at home plate. Then, Char Lorenz pushed the lead to three after a sacrifice fly that sent Tori Edwards home.
LSU scored its fourth and final run of the first after a nice double down the left-field line by Destiny Harris, which sent home Alix Franklin.
Monticelli continued dealing in the second, recording three more strikeouts without a hit allowed.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Tigers refused to slow down, with Lassiter smashing her fourth homer of the year into left field. Only two pitches later, Tori Edwards would continue her huge night, smashing a homer into center field, raising the score to 6-0.
Kylee Edwards then put her name on the scoresheet with a two-RBI homerun into left field, the third nuke of the inning. LA Tech looked completely hopeless to LSU’s batters through that inning as the Tigers jumped to a mercy-rule margin in only two innings.
LA Tech still couldn’t get anything going in the third inning, with LSU’s defense forcing its second straight 1-2-3 out inning. This time around, though, LSU was held scoreless on its turn to bat.
Torina replaced Monticelli with Freshman Cali Deal, as everyone in Tiger Park fully expected this contest to finish as a mercy rule.
LA Tech showed a little life in the fourth inning after getting its second single of the game, but LSU’s fielding still refused to let up. The Tigers would end the inning with Deal’s first strikeout of the night.
LSU tacked on one more run for good measure in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Gradie Appling sent a runner home on a double into left-center field — her first RBI of her LSU career.
The Tigers sat comfortably at 9-0 to start the fifth inning. With LSU needing just three more outs to end the contest early, Torina subbed in another freshman pitcher, Ashlin Mowery, to end the contest.
After Mowery hit LA Tech’s first batter, the Tigers got their first of three outs after catching a runner out while attempting to steal second base. Mowery then made it two outs after throwing her first strikeout of the night.
LA tech didn’t even pose a threat on its last at-bat of the night, with Mowery throwing her second strikeout of the night, ending the contest 9-0.
LSU can now carry this win into the weekend’s SEC series against No. 5 Oklahoma, starting Friday at 6 p.m.
