No. 18 LSU softball claimed another upset victory over No. 12 Arizona in a 3-1 win to clinch the series.
The Tigers took the first game of the series Friday night in a 4-1 upset over the No. 12 team at Tiger Park to open the weekend. In Game 2, a tense game that was within one for several innings before the Tigers stretched their lead, the upset win marked the Tigers’ second series win over a top-25 opponent in the season.
In the circle for the Tigers, Cece Cellura started and had the first few innings locked down with quick groundouts induced against the entire Wildcats batting order. Throughout the entire ballgame, Cellura induced 11 groundouts. The junior also dealt three strikeouts while only allowing four hits and one walk, moving to 6-4 on the season.
In the opposing circle, Jalen Adams faced some trouble in the circle for Arizona early on. Jalia Lassiter was hit by a pitch only three pitches into the game and reached base for LSU.
Kylee Edwards then started the scoring with only one out for LSU. Edwards clobbered a pitch to right against Adams, driving in Lassiter with an RBI triple. A sacrifice fly from Alix Franklin scored Edwards to tally another run in the opening frame.
Cellura faced a little bit of trouble in the third inning when Arizona’s third baseman Jenna Sniffen singled through the left side to record the Wildcats’ first hit of the evening. Centerfielder Regan Shocker then singled through the opposite side to allow two on base with two outs in the inning. A groundout allowed Cellura to get out of the inning successfully.
An Edwards hit by pitch, Franklin walk and a Maci Bergeron single in the fourth loaded the bases for LSU with only one out in the inning to start up the offense once more and attempt to extend its lead. Unfortunately for the Tigers, a quick pop-up and lineout from the bottom of the order left all three runners stranded heading into the fifth.
Cellura continued to throw her way down the Wildcats’ batting order, despite another bit of trouble in the fifth inning, and more notably, in the sixth.
A dropped ball by Tori Edwarda allowed catcher Sydney Stewart to reach base for Arizona, and in the next at-bat, designated hitter Tele Jennings singled to second to get two on for the opposing team with one away.
A huge grab in right field from Franklin recorded the second out of the sixth, but a routine ball that just got out of the glove of Bergeron, ready to make the out at home, allowed one to get on the board for Arizona. Nonetheless, Cellura dealt a swinging strikeout to end the inning and move into the bottom of the inning, where the Tigers looked to extend their lead.
LSU took the opportunity to do just that in the sixth with two away. The bases quickly loaded with a walk, a single and a hit batter.
Wildcat fans at Tiger Park grew loud after a check swing on Ally Hutchins was deemed safe by the third base umpire. Hutchins walked on the next pitch thrown by Adams to drive in another run for LSU.
Cellura started the seventh with two quick fly-outs to the outfield, but a throwing error to first and a ball that went out of Kylee Edwards’ leaping efforts allowed the next two batters on base. A single from second baseman Sereniti Trice loaded the bases to prompt a lengthy mound visit from head coach Beth Torina.
Cellura remained calm as she continued in the circle to face catcher Sydney Stewart in hopes of finally recording one last out. She did just that, a huge flyout to right, ending the quick one-hour and 48-minute ballgame that marked Cellura’s fifth complete game in her 11th start of the season.
The final game of the series concludes Sunday, with the first pitch beginning at 11 a.m. CT.
