In a shocking defeat, No. 3 LSU softball team lost its first game of the season against Pacific University.
Pacific’s junior pitcher Cassidy Gustafson held the LSU lineup in check, only one run on five hits. Coming into the game, the Tigers outscored their last three opponents 31-2.
But against Gustafson and company, LSU struggled to take advantage of scoring opportunities, going 2-for-10 at the plate with runners in scoring position.
“The pitcher [Gustafson] did a great job of mixing it up on the plate, and we didn’t make the adjustment soon enough,” said LSU junior third baseman Sahvanna Jaquish.
Pacific got on the board first after freshman first baseman Sydney Lahners hit a ground-rule double to left field in the first inning.
The Tigers struggled fielding for the first time this season with three errors against Pacific, including a crucial error in the first inning that could have ended the inning with a double play.
Senior infielder Bianka Bell wasn’t able to corral a throw from sophomore pitcher Allie Walljasper after she fielded a ground ball.
Even after the loss,  LSU coach Beth Torina didn’t hang her head as she explained her team still needs to improve in all phases of the game. .
“I thought we did a lot of things poorly and really need to improve in all areas,” Torina said. “I didn’t think we played well in any facet in the game. I thought we had issues all over the field.”
LSU gets another crack at Pacific tomorrow at 11:30 a.m in the finale of the Tiger Classic.
The Tigers fully embrace the challenge. 
“Not only do we get another game tomorrow, we get a game against them [Pacific],” Torina said. “Hopefully we can show up the way we want to show up, our kids have a nice opportunity to prove whatever they want to prove.”