LSU Softball notched its 12th consecutive victory this season following another dominating performance against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles, finishing with an impressive final score of 9-3.
When it comes to aiming for scoring runs during the beginning of games and having an opportunity to establish a comfortable lead, the Tigers are shining with their offense as the season has progressed.
With two outs during the bottom of the first inning, Freshman first baseman Tori Edwards reached on a single directly to third base and drove in the first run of the evening.
However, the fireworks of this inning were just getting started.
Senior right fielder McKenzie Redoutey was the next batter up and had her sights on increasing the Tigers’ lead even further. With a full count, Redoutey put a respectable swing on a pitch right across the plate and watched as the ball barely cleared the right-center outfield wall.
Redoutey’s first home run of the season propelled the score to 3-0, and the Golden Eagles faced a daunting task of attempting to get back into the game.
And the scoring barrage for the purple and gold was far from over.
During the bottom of the third inning, Southern Mississippi starting pitcher Natalie Herrington found herself having trouble navigating the middle part of the Tigers’ batting order. Following another single by Edwards to third base, a full-count walk by outfielder Redoutey, and a wild pitch that advanced both runners, the opportunity to blow the game wide open was available.
Coming to the plate, junior left fielder Jadyn Laneaux blasted a full-count pitch that landed in the left field grass which plated the two runners who were previously in scoring position. However, Laneaux would be caught in between first and second base trying to stretch the single into a double and would end the inning.
Entering the top of the fourth inning, facing a 5-0 deficit, Southern Miss’ offensive production slowly started to come alive against Tigers’ starting pitcher, redshirt senior Emilee Casanova.
With the bases loaded following back-to-back runners reaching on fielder’s choices and then a single into right field, Southern Miss left fielder Carrie Green approached the plate with an opportunity to put a dent into this growing deficit.
Tigers pitcher Casanova threw a wild pitch, and all baserunners started moving. Surprisingly, the recherché actually took a favorable bounce for the Tigers, and the play at the plate was a bang-bang call. However, Tiger catcher Jada Phillips dropped the ball on the tag, and Southern Miss scored its first run of the game.
Following a fielder’s choice off the bat of Southern Miss DP Jana Lee, the score entering the bottom of the fourth inning was 5-2. Despite facing spine-shivering weather conditions, those brave enough to be in attendance inside Tiger Park were being treated to a closer game.
However, this wouldn’t last very long.
During the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers would plate another three runs.
Junior DP/catcher Maci Bergeron ripped a hard-hit double down the left field line and would be brought across the plate on yet another single off the bat of first baseman Edwards (her third single of the game).
Red-hot hitter McKenzie Redoutey, who already had a homer to her name from earlier, was due up next. In this plate appearance, Redoutey launched a double right up the middle into center field. Edwards would score standing up, and this increased the lead to 7-3.
Left fielder Jadyn Laneaux would follow up by grounding out to first base, which allowed Redoutey to score the eighth run of the game.
Tigers’ starting pitcher Emilee Casanova's final line would be 4.2 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 BB, and four strikeouts.
With facing some trouble with one out left in the fifth inning, freshman phenom Jayden Heavener came on in relief and would keep the Golden Eagles scoreless and actually finished with five strikeouts (more strikeouts than Casanova in only 2.1 IP).
No.6-ranked LSU Softball enters the weekend with aspirations of building upon its winning streak. On Saturday, Feb. 22, at 4 p.m. CST, it will rematch the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The team will also face off against Nicholls at 6:30 p.m. CST, with both games being played at Tiger Park.
