Despite tying the game in the top of the seventh inning, LSU softball’s season ended Saturday as it couldn’t hold on to overcome Southeastern Louisiana, falling to the Lions for the second time in as many days.
The Tigers’ offense rallied together to come back to a tie in each of the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but it wasn’t enough to overcome this scrappy Lions team, who prevailed in an 8-7 walk-off win.
LSU has now been knocked out of the postseason in the regional round in three of the last four years, this year as the No. 10 national seed hosting its round in Baton Rouge.
“In this moment, it’s really hard to see the forest through the trees here,” head coach Beth Torina said. “But this program grew this year. This program will be better for it.”
Southeastern chased LSU starting pitcher Tatum Clopton from the game in the first inning, and head coach Beth Torina had to turn to two veterans on staff in relief: redshirt senior Ashley Vallejo and junior Sydney Berzon.
Vallejo was dominant for most of her outing. She kept Southeastern on its toes, even taking the small ball away from the team, but the Lions didn’t blink. Vallejo was also chased in what would become a big fifth inning for the Lions.
Entering the fifth inning, both teams were tied at four, and after a hit by pitch, the Lions were all wheels. They utilized their speed to turn routine singles into doubles, and scored on two unlikely plays to bring a late lead.
They forced LSU to turn to their ace Berzon late in the game. She threw a shutout against UConn earlier in the day to get the Tigers to this game.
Berzon’s workload this season has been significant, and Saturday was no exception. Between the two games, she threw nine innings. Most of the issues Berzon has faced in the circle this season has come from her substantial workload, said Torina.
“[Berzon] is grinding through some of everyone in the world being prepared for her, some of her own perfectionism, some of just the grind of being the ace day in, day out, having the bulk of the innings,” Torina said earlier in the season.
Berzon cleaned house as best as she could, but it wasn’t enough to keep LSU’s season alive. She got the Tigers out of a nasty fifth inning, but she couldn’t keep Southeastern off the board in the seventh.
It was the speed game that has separated Southeastern from every team they have played this year, and this one was no exception. It’s how the Lions eventually won the game. A misplayed bunt in the bottom of the seventh inning put the winning runner on third base.
Infielder Shelby Morris won the game for Southeastern. She hit an infield single, and the runner on third base beat LSU’s throw to the plate to end the game.
Southeastern had only beaten LSU once in its history prior to this weekend, when it toppled the Tigers twice.
With this game, LSU’s season ends, and the Lions will tackle Nebraska on Sunday for the rights to advance to the super regionals.
