Crucial extra base-hits aided LSU softball in its 5-1 victory over South Carolina Saturday to even the series.
The Tigers dropped the first game of the series Friday night after a lengthy 12-inning game that ended with a walkoff single by the Gamecocks. On Saturday, LSU redeemed itself during the second and fourth innings.
The lineup was a little unusual this game for LSU, and maybe that’s what made the difference.
Jalia Lassiter and Sierra Daniel, the usual two leadoff hitters, were moved down in the lineup. Lassiter was moved to the third spot in the batting order, and Daniel was moved down to the sixth. Char Lorenz led off with Tori Edwards in the second spot ahead of Lassiter.
Whatever head coach Beth Torina’s reason for the change was this time, it seemed to work.
The Tigers were first up on the board in the second inning after an RBI double from Daniel knocked in Kylee Edwards from second after a double to center in Edwards’ at-bat.
Not too long after, South Carolina’s Josey Marron was quickly relieved by Emma Friedel as the top of the second had already started off rocky. Marron was eventually charged for the Gamecocks’ loss.
Before she was relieved and after Daniel’s RBI, Marron walked Maci Bergeron before Destiny Harris singled to load the bases for LSU.
When Friedel came in, Avery Hodge reached on a fielder’s choice to throw Daniel out at home to get the second out of the inning. Lorenz struck out looking in the next at-bat to leave three Tigers stranded on base and give the Gamecocks a bit of relief.
Cece Cellura started in the circle for LSU, keeping the Gamecocks’ bats quiet in the 28 batters she faced across seven innings. Cellura only allowed one run on eight hits and struck out two batters to earn her fourth win of the season.
But on the other side, the relief for Friedel only lasted for one inning after the second. In the fourth, Edwards once again earned herself a base-hit and Harris singled right behind her to put Tigers on the corners. Harris then showed off her speed as she quickly stole second.
Moments later, a throwing error by South Carolina’s second baseman, Karley Shelton, allowed both runners to advance, and Edwards stole home to score LSU’s second run of the game.
The fourth inning kept going.
Maddox McKee, who was moved into left field for Lorenz, clobbered a huge triple to right with both Harris and Hodge scoring to advance the Tigers’ lead to 4.
For the next two innings, Cellura remained dominant on the mound. Even with five hits across the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, she forced four groundouts to get out of each inning confidently. In total, Cellura forced 10 groundouts and eight flyouts in the game.
LSU scored one more run in the sixth, on another RBI for McKee, scoring the Tigers’ fifth and final run of the ballgame.
South Carolina’s shortstop Shae Anderson tallied one run for the Gamecocks with a one-run home run against Cellura to avoid the shutout. Cellura struck out her second batter of the evening and forced a final flyout to end the game with LSU out on top.
With the series now even, the 20-10 Tigers look to claim their first conference series win in Game 3 at noon Sunday to conclude the weekend.
