Da Boot Sports
10/8/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Keonte Herrera


​BATON ROUGE – The LSU softball team announced its entire 2022 schedule Thursday evening.
 
The Tigers will open the season with the Tiger Classic on Feb. 11-13 at Tiger Park. The tournament will feature games against Illinois, Central Arkansas and South Alabama. The next weekend, LSU will compete in the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational, an ESPN event, in Clearwater, Fla. Feb. 18-20. Opponents and times have yet to be announced.
 
The Fighting Tigers will return home Feb. 25-27 for the Purple & Gold Challenge where they will host Purdue, Stephen F. Austin, and Drake, and will then hit the road on March 3 to challenge UL-Lafayette in Lafayette, La.

The Tigers will have their third home tournament – The LSU Invitational – where they will face Troy, Louisiana Tech and ULL March 4-6.
 
After the opening weekend of SEC play at home vs. Alabama March 11-13, the Tigers will host a mid-week contest against Southeastern Louisiana on March 15, play a series at Texas on March 18-19. It will be the Tigers first trip to Austin, Texas since the 2010 season. LSU will have another mid-week game against Nicholls State on March 22.
 
The Tigers will take on Arkansas March 25-27 in Fayetteville, Ark., and then make a trip to Lake Charles, La. to play McNeese State on March 30.
 
The SEC slate will resume for LSU with the Kentucky series on April 1-3 at Tiger Park. The annual Stirkeout Ovarian Cancer teal game and SEC’s All for Alex campaign will be held on Saturday, April 2. The 13 SEC schools will join together to wear teal or teal accents on April 2 as the entire league recognizes her impact on the softball community nationwide and in the fight against ovarian cancer.

Next will be a road series at Texas A&M in College Station, Texas April 8-10, followed by another series at Tiger Park against South Carolina April 15-17.
 
The final non-conference game will be at Tiger Park on April 19 against McNeese State before concluding the regular season with conference series at Georgia April 22-24, at home vs. Florida April 29-May 1, and at Mississippi State May 6-8.
 
The SEC Tournament will be held May 10-14 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
 
LSU will return 21 student-athletes from last season, including a pair of NFCA All-Americans Taylor Pleasants (2021) and Shelbi Sunseri (2019), a NFCA All-Region honoree in Ali Kilponen, and Ciara Briggs, a member of the 2021 All-SEC Newcomer Team.

5/28/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE, LA:  Facing elimination after falling 1-0 on Thursday night, the Lady Tigers will look to pull out a win on Friday to stay alive and force a game three, winner take all contest on Saturday. 


   Game two of this Baton Rouge Super Regional began like Thursday night's game one, a low scoring pitcher's battle. Both starters in the circle, Ali Kilponen of LSU and FSU's Caylan Arnold would keep hitters under control through the first three innings. 

   The Tigers would be the first of these two softball giants to awaken as Taylor Pleasants would leadoff the top of the 4th with a single to left field. After a Amanda Doyle fly out, Georgia Clark would step to the plate looking to ignite her team and the Tiger Park crowd. That she did with a two run home run over the left field wall. 

   Kilponen remained smoking hot in the circle as she would put the Seminoles hitters down in order, three up-three down, as we would head to the 5th inning with the Tigers up 2-0.

   LSU would mount a threat in the top of the 5th inning as they would put runners on first and second with only one out. FSU coach Lonni Alameda would go to the bullpen, bringing in Danielle Watson to replace the struggling Arnold. Watson would record the final two outs to get out of the jam.

   Ali Kilponen continued her dominance as she would pitch her 5th straight scoreless inning, sending us to the 6th with the Tigers still on top 2-0.

   Florida State would plate a run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Sydney Sherrill would draw a leadoff base on balls, then would advance to second on a ground out. Elizabeth Mason's single up the middle would score Sherrill, cutting the LSU lead to 2-1. 

   FSU pitcher Danielle Watson continued to pitch fantastic in relief as the LSU hitters would go three up-three down sending us to the bottom of the 7th inning.

   Ali Kilponen remained in the game to try and hold off the Seminoles and protect the LSU one run lead. Devyn Flaherty would leadoff with a single up the middle sending the winning run to the plate. Dani Morgan would then hit a infield single putting runners at first and second with no outs.  
   Anna Shelnutt would then lay down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up. With runners on second and third, Flaherty would score from third on a pass ball to tie the game, 2-2. 
   On a second straight bunt attempt, LSU first baseman, Raeleen Gutierrez charged towards home, would field the ball and
quickly toss it to catcher Morgan Cummings for the huge out at the plate. A pop out would end the 7th to send us to extra innings all knotted up at 2-2.

   Taylor Pleasants would quickly give the Tigers the lead back as she would launch a one out, solo homerun over the left field wall, her 13th dinger of the season.  The solo shot would be all the Tigers could produce, sending us to the bottom of the 8th with LSU up, 3-2. 

   We would start the bottom of the 8th needing three outs for force a game three. Kilponen would get the first two FSU hitters to quickly pop out. But Elizabeth Mason would step up and blast a homerun to left field to keep the contest going, tied at 3-3. 
   Kilponen and the Tigers would record the final out to send us to inning number nine... 

   Sunseri would leadoff the top of the inning with a walk. But Watson was able to battle to get the next three LSU hitters out.

   Dani Morgan would get things going for FSU with a one out single up the middle. Shelnutt would then draw a base on balls putting the winning run in scoring position. Kierstern Landers would pinch hit and come through with a single down the left field line to score the winning run for the Seminoles. 
   FSU will now move on to the Women's College World Series as LSU's season comes to a disappointing finish. 

 “I am as proud today as any day to be the coach of the LSU Tigers,” Head Coach Beth Torina said. “I am not emotional because we lost. I am emotional because of this senior class and what they’ve been through. This team has been through so much adversity and still played a game like this. I am proud of this team and proud to lead this team.   I know for sure that when our team is in this spot again that we will win. We had kids in these crucial spots tonight that have never been here. They’ll never do these things wrong again. I feel confident in our players. This will fuel them, and they will go to work. Next time we are in this spot, we will win. I am confident about that.”
 
   LSU finishes the 2021 season with a 35-22 overall record... 

5/28/2021
By: Michael Lanclos
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE, LA: The LSU Tigers would fall in a defensive battle to FSU by a final score of 1-0 in game one of the Baton Rouge Super Regional.  Both teams kept the score board at 0-0 till the top of the 6th when the Seminoles were able to sneak in the winning run.  LSU hopes to keep their College World Series hopes alive, as they will now need to win the next two to advance. 

   The first inning Shelbi Sunseri would only face four FSU hitters, recording three straight outs after giving up a leadoff single. 

   LSU would go into the bottom half of the inning with a quick 3 up and three down as a ground out to 2nd base would end their inning.  Both pitchers seem to have great poise in the 1st inning.  


   Again in the 2nd inning, Sunseri and the LSU defense would give up an infield single before getting the final out to strand another FSU base runner.

   The game was shaping up as a defensive battle as LSU would again go quietly with three groundouts to end their inning.  


   In the 3rd inning Florida State would get their leadoff batter Josie Muffley would nail an outfield single to left field.  She would advance to third base on two groundouts.  But Sunseri would end the FSU threat with a third out swinging strike out. 

   LSU pitcher Shelbi Sunseri would fight off ten pitches to earn a walk for LSU to lead off the bottom of the 3rd inning. 
However Morgan Cummins would line out to 2nd base, then Sunseri would get thrown out at 1st base diving back to the bag for a FSU double play.  A ground out would end the inning for the Lady Tigers.


   FSU would get a two out single, and after a pass ball, the base runner would reach 2nd base to start the 4th inning.  She would be left stranded after a ground out to Sunseri would end the inning. 

   LSU lead off batter Aliyah Andrews would hit a hard shot to center field for a leadoff single. After a sacrifice bunt from Ciara Briggs, LSU batter Taylor Pleasants would hit a long fly ball to deep center field that would be caught.  Amanda Doyle was also able to hit the ball sharply towards right field, but after a diving catch, the LSU threat would end with a base runner stranded.
     

   The 5th inning would go by quickly with both teams going three up-three down at the plate.


   In the 6th inning Sydney Sherrill would nail a leadoff single through the right side to right field.  Next, Kalei
Harding would single to center field, setting up runners on the corners with no outs for the Lady Seminoles.  After the Tigers would record the first out of the inning, Cassidy Davis would hit a fly ball to right field for the second out.  Sherrill would slide home to just beat the throw into home for a 1-0 Seminole lead. 

   Sandercock and the FSU defense would get another quick three up-three down inning to bring us to the 7th.


   The LSU defense would make a stand in the top of the 7th inning as they would record three consecutive pop outs to end the top of the inning. 

   LSU's offense would finally begin to wake up as Ciara Briggs would hit a hard single through the left side of the field.  Pleasants would ground out to the pitcher, followed by a line out to 3rd base by Amanda Doyle.  Georgia Clark would ground out for out for the final out, leaving Briggs stranded at 2nd base to end the game for LSU.   

   FSU would improve to 43-10-1 while LSU dropped to 35-21.

   Game two will be played on Friday night at Lady Tiger park, first pitch set for 6:00 pm.  

5/24/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


BATON ROUGE – Seventh-ranked LSU will host Florida State in the 2021 Baton Rouge Super Regional Thursday-Saturday at Tiger Park.
 
The best of three series between the Tigers (35-20) and Seminoles (42-10) will be televised by ESPN on Thursday and ESPN2 on Friday and Saturday. First pitch for all three games will be at 6 p.m. CT and fans can also stream on WatchESPN.com and the app.
 
The winner of the LSU-Florida State series will advance to the Women’s College World Series, which runs from June 3-9 in Oklahoma City. This will be the third time the Tigers and Seminoles will face off with a bid to the Women's College World Series on the line. LSU took the first series in 2017 and FSU punched its ticket to OKC in 2018. 
 
Tickets to the Baton Rouge Super Regional will go on sale at 9 a.m. CT Wednesday at LSUtix.net and in person at the LSU Ticket Office. If available, single game tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday. Weekend tickets start at $25 for adults and $20 for youth. Tiger Park will be at 100 percent capacity for the weekend.
 
LSU has appeared in the Women’s College World Series six times. Head coach Beth Torina has led the Tigers to WCWS appearances in 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017. LSU’s other WCWS appearances came in 2001 and 2004.
 

5/24/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – Seventh-ranked LSU (35-20) took the winner-take-all game, 8-5, over UL-Lafayette (47-12) to win the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and advance to a Super Regional for the ninth time in school history.
 
The win over the Ragin’ Cajuns marked the sixth straight Super Regional appearance and seventh under head coach Beth Torina. The regional title was the 11th in school history.
 
“I am just really proud of this team, all 28 of them,” head coach Beth Torina said. “I am proud of my staff too. They prepare better than anyone else in the country, and I think that is the secret to our success this time of year. They are just the absolute best at it. I am excited to move on and host next week.
 
“I think the entire team grew up out there today, but no one grew up more than Ali Kilponen. She hadn’t been in a big moment like that and never had the ball in that situation. She lived up to the bill and then some. She withstood the test after they pushed her out of her comfort zone. She responded every time.”
 
LSU will face Florida State in the Super Regional next weekend at Tiger Park. Dates, times and TV networks will be announced at a later date. This will be the third time the Tigers and Seminoles will face off with a bid to the Women’s College World Series on the line. LSU took the first series in 2017 and FSU punched its ticket to OKC in 2018.
 
The Tigers were forced to play in the seventh game of the weekend after the Ragin’ Cajuns took the early game, 2-0.
 
Ali Kilponen (15-8) earned the win to clinch the regional for the Tigers.
 
First baseman George Clark made plays at the plate and in the field. She was 2-for-2 on the day with five RBI and a walk.
 
ULL struck first with a solo home run by Ciara Bryan on the first pitch.
 
LSU responded in the second to take a 2-1 lead. After leadoff singles by Aliyah Andrews and Ciara Briggs, Clark hit a two out, two RBI single up the middle.
 
Taylor Pleasants hit a solo home run in the third to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
 
LSU put up a four spot in the fifth inning. Andrews scored on a sac fly to shallow right field for her 195th career run, which puts her third in LSU history. Clark followed with a three-run home run to center field to make it a 7-1 game.
 
UL-Lafayette cut into the LSU lead in the sixth on a two-run home run by pinch hitter Bailey Curry.  
 
In the opening game of the day, the Ragin’ Cajuns scored two runs off of Kilponen. Jade Gortarez hit a double to left-center in the third inning.
 
Kandra Lamb split the day in the circle and ended her season at 17-5 overall. She limited the Tigers to no runs on three hits and struck out five in the opening game. In game two, she gave up three runs on five hits in 2.2 innings.

5/21/2021
LSU Sports Information
​By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – Pinch hitter Jordan Perkins hit a two-run, double with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning to give No. 7 LSU softball  (33-19) a 10-2 run-rule win over McNeese State (34-25) in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament Friday afternoon at Tiger Park.
 
The Tigers will face the winner of UL-Lafayette and George Washington in the winner’s bracket at 2 pm. CT Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 through WatchESPN.com and the app. 
 
The win marked LSU’s 13th run-rule victory in NCAA Tournament play and the first since a 9-0 win over Fordham to open the 2018 Baton Rouge Regional.
 
“I was just really excited about the way we played today,” head coach Beth Torina said. “ It was truly a team win with performances from players across the lineup. I thought we continued to put pressure on, which is why I think we had the success we did. To start this postseason with a win like that, against a really good team like McNeese,  is a good moment for our team.”
 
Shelbi Sunseri improved to 10-6 on the year. She threw all six innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits. The Cowgirls’ Whitney Tate (13-9) was charged with the loss after allowing four runs on six hits.
 
McNeese took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Cori McCrary scored before Kaylee Lopez was thrown out at second.
 
The Tigers responded in the first off the bat of Amanda Doyle. She hit a two-out, two-run home run to right field.
 
LSU extended its lead to 4-1 in the fourth with a two-run home run by Sunseri.
 
The Cowgirls cut into the lead in the fifth on a sac fly by Jil Poullard.
 
In the bottom of the fifth Doyle hit another home run, this time a solo shot, to push LSU’s lead to 5-2.
 
LSU put up five runs in the sixth to seal the win. Aliyah Andrews scored on a fielding error and Georgia Clark’s single to center field plated Ciara Briggs. Raeleen Gutierrez added to the barrage with a single to center field, which scored Doyle. The winning two runs came off Perkins’ one-out double.
 
With their home runs today, Sunseri and Doyle now each have 32 career home runs, which is tied for fifth in school history.

5/19/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – The NCAA Softball Regional at Tiger Park May 21-23 will be at 100 percent capacity following the NCAA’s announcement Wednesday.
 
General admission all-session ticket books for the Tiger Terrace and outfield bleachers are now available at LSUtix.net and at the LSU Ticket Office. If available, single session tickets will go on sale Thursday.
 
No. 7 LSU will host the four-team, double-elimination regional for the sixth straight year. The Baton Rouge Regional features LSU, UL-Lafayette, George Washington and McNeese. The Tigers and Cowgirls kick things off at 3 p.m. Friday.
 

5/16/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Kent Lowe


​   BATON ROUGE – The LSU Tiger softball team is back in the NCAA Tournament for the 15th straight time as they were named to the 64-team field announced Sunday evening on ESPN2. 
Also, for the sixth straight year, the Tigers will host one of the 16 four-team regional rounds at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge starting on Friday. LSU is the No. 7 national seed, one of five Southeastern Conference teams that earned Top 8 national seeding. 
The No. 7 national seed is the second highest regional round seed in LSU softball history, topped only by the No. 5 seed LSU earned in the 2015 season. 
The first round schedule on Friday will have LSU (32-19) meeting McNeese State (Southland Conference, 34-24) at 3 p.m. CDT in a game televised by ESPNU and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network. The second game on the first day will feature No. 2 seed UL-Lafayette (Sun Belt Conference, 44-10) against George Washington (A-10 Conference) at 5:30 p.m. CDT in a contest that will be streamed on ESPN3.The schedule for the remainder of the regional will be announced later by the NCAA and ESPN.  
This will mark the sixth straight NCAA softball post-season event that LSU will host the regional round at Tiger Park dating back to 2015. LSU would be in line to host a Super Regional round if it would win the regional. 
LSU, with a No. 7 RPI and considered to have the top strength of schedule in the nation, is 33-14 in NCAA Regional Round games in Baton Rouge with titles in 2001, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Overall, LSU is 78-49 in NCAA play and 57-27 in the regional round. 
All-session ticket books will go on sale Wednesday at 9 a.m., starting at $25. If available, single sessions will go on sale Thursday at 9 a.m. starting at $7. Tickets can be purchased at the LSU Athletics Ticket Office or online at LSUtix.net.
A reminder that under NCAA championship guidelines, Tiger Park will be limited to 50 percent capacity.
Further information as well as comments from LSU Coach Beth Torina will be available in this spot later this evening. 
​

5/14/2021
LSU Sports Information
By; Brandon Berrio


​    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 14 LSU dropped its quarterfinal matchup against No. 15 Missouri, 4-1, to end its run in the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament, Thursday at Rhoads Stadium.
 
“It was a frustrating day and unfortunately we could not make adjustments with our offense today,” head coach Beth Torina said. “I really thought our defense kept us in the game and played well. It is time for us to get back home and reset. We will focus on LSU Softball and be ourselves and worry about our own game for a few days, which is a nice thing this time of year.”
 
The Tigers head into NCAA postseason with a record of 32-19 and are one of 20 teams eligible to host a regional next weekend. The entire bracket, including the 16 regional sties, will be revealed at 8 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN2.
 
Ali Kilponen (14-7) was charged with the loss. She gave up four runs on eight hits and walked five.
 
Missouri’s Jordan Webber (10-5) limited the Tigers to just two hits and one run in seven innings. She struck out three in the game to earn the win.
 
Mizzou struck first in the opening inning. Hatti Moore singled and moved to second on a passed ball. She then scored with two outs on a throwing error by Kilponen.
 
Cayla Kessinger hit a solo home run to open the fourth inning for Missouri. They added another run to extend their lead to 3-0 with an RBI single by Brooke Wilmes.
 
LSU got on the board in the fifth inning. Morgan Cummins reached on an infield single and pinch hitter Ali Newland brought home pinch runner Anna Jones home on a triple to right field.
 
Missouri plated its final run in the sixth on a two-out single by Wilmes down the left-field line.

5/12/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 14 LSU (32-18) opened the 2021 Southeastern Conference Tournament with a 7-3 win over South Carolina Wednesday at Rhoads Stadium. 
 
The Tigers will play third-seeded Missouri on Thursday in the quarterfinal. The game will start 35 minutes after the conclusion of game one of the day at approximately 1:35 p.m. and will be televised on the SEC Network. 
 
“I really liked our approach today,” head coach Beth Torina said. “Seventeen people played today and we had 11 hits. That is a very good approach for us. Shelbi Sunseri’s had guts today to go out today and do what she did hitting and pitching. She really set us up for a strong week.  
It was good to get the first game. That was our goal to get one win and then take one game a time. We couldn’t win the tournament today and we can’t win it tomorrow.” 
 
LSU totaled 11 hits on the day with four coming in the leadoff spot. The Tigers were 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position and 4-for-10 with two outs. Seven LSU hitters recorded a hit in the game today. 
 
Shelbi Sunseri improved to 9-6 on the year with the victory. Sunseri allowed three runs on six hit. At the plate, she was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Ali Kilponen earned the save in relief. She entered in the sixth and struck out two and didn’t allow a hit. 
 
Leah Powell dropped to 10-7 on the season. She allowed three runs, just one earned, and six hits in 3.2 innings. 
 
LSU struck first in the opening inning on a sac fly by Amanda Doyle. The squad added two more runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to secure their spot in the quarterfinal. 
 
The Tigers took advantage of South Carolina’s miscues in the fourth. Savannah Stewart scored from first after a passed ball and obstruction by the second baseman, which was overturned by replay. With the bases loaded and two outs, Danieca Coffey scored on a wild pitch. 
 
In the fifth, with Taryn Antoine on second after stealing second as a pinch runner, Stewart hit a double to left-center to score a run. Sunseri then hit a ball to left center to plate another run. 
 
After South Carolina hit a three-run home run in the sixth to make it a two-run game, LSU responded with two more runs.  Georgia Clark singled through the right side to score Briggs and Raeleen Gutierrez singled to right field to score pinch runner Karington Houshmandzadeh. ​

5/11/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 14/16 LSU (31-18, 13-11 SEC), the five seed, opens the 2021 Southeastern Conference against 13-seed South Carolina (26-25, 4-20 SEC) Wednesday at Rhoads Stadium.
 
First pitch is scheduled for 35 minutes following the opening game, which starts the day at 11 a.m. CT. The game featuring LSU and Auburn will be televised on SEC Network. Patrick Wright will also have the call on the LSU Sports Radio Network.
 
South Carolina defeated Auburn, 3-1, in the opening game on Tuesday to advance to the second round. The tournament is single elimination and the winner will advance to play No. 3 seed Missouri in the second game on Thursday.
 
“I really like where we are as a team heading into postseason,” head coach Beth Torina said. “This group is really balanced pitching and hitting top to bottom. A majority of this team has never even played in a postseason game, but I know they will be up for the task.”

LSU is coming off a series win over Auburn to wrap up the regular season. Down 1-0 in the sixth inning of Sunday’s rubber game, freshman Taylor Pleasants hit a grand slam with no outs against the wind to deep center field. The win marked a crucial series for LSU as well as the program’s 1,200th win.
 
This week, Pleasants was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year and selected to the All-SEC first team and all-newcomer team. Pleasants led the Tigers in league play with a .368 batting average, 28 hits, 19 runs, 7 home runs and 19 RBI.
 
Aliyah Andrews was LSU’s second All-SEC first team selection. She was also named to the all-defensive team for her highlight reel catches. Ciara Briggs was named to the all-newcomer team and pitcher Shelbi Sunseri was selected to the all-defensive team.
 
Ali Kilponen, Sunseri, Shelby Wickersham and Maribeth Gorsuch have each stared more than five of LSU’s 24 SEC games. Kilponen leads the way with a 1.97 ERA and an 8-3 record. She threw LSU’s first one-hitter in an SEC game since 2017 just two weeks ago against Arkansas. Sunseri is 4-4 in SEC games and owns a 2.80 ERA.
 
This is LSU’s 24th appearance in the SEC Tournament and the program owns a 44-23 record overall. The Tigers have won five SEC Tournament titles – 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007. 
 
LSU will play to improve its stock heading into NCAA postseason. Tiger Park has already been announced as one of 20 potential regional host site for the tournament. LSU is one of the top teams in the nation with an RPI of five and strength of schedule ranked second in the country. The entire bracket, including the 16 regional sties, will be revealed at 8 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN2.
 

5/10/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


BATON ROUGE - With a record of 13-11 in the Southeastern Conference and tiebreaker over Kentucky, No. 13 LSU earned the five seed in the 2021 SEC Tournament.
 
The tournament will be held in Tuscaloosa, May 11-15. Every game will be televised on the SEC Network or ESPN2. The Tigers will take on the 12 vs. 13 game, featuring Auburn and South Carolina, Wednesday at Rhoads Stadium. First pitch will be 35 minutes following the conclusion of the 11 a.m. game.
 
If LSU wins its opening game on Wednesday, it will take on Missouri in the second game on Thursday.
 
The Tigers are 44-23 in the SEC Tournament all-time. The program has won five league titles with victories coming in 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2007. In 2019, the last SEC Tournament held, LSU dropped its opening game to Florida, 3-0.

5/10/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE - Down by one in the sixth inning, freshman Taylor Pleasants hit a grand slam to deep center field to give LSU the series win over Auburn and the 1,200th victory in program history Sunday at Tiger Park.
 
"We chipped away all day today and felt like that timely hit was going to come at some point," head coach Beth Torina said. "We put the ball in play a lot today. The big at bat was Ali (Newland) to start the inning. She really did not try to do too much and it set us up well. Then Taylor (Pleasants) went up to bat and hit that ball so hard into the wind."
 
Thirteenth-ranked LSU finished the regular season 31-18 overall and 13-11 in the Southeastern Conference. Auburn wrapped up the year with a record of 27-21 overall and 7-17 in the SEC.
 
Ali Kilponen (14-6) earned the win for LSU. She allowed just one run on four hits in seven innings.
 
The Fighting Tigers will be the fifth seed in the SEC Tournament. LSU will play the winner of the 12-13 seed game featuring Auburn and South Carolina Wednesday in Tuscaloosa. First pitch will be 35 minutes following Wednesday's 11 a.m. game and be televised on SEC Network.
 
Auburn scored its lone run in the fourth inning. Maddison Koepke singled to center field and pinch runner Kaylee Horton scored from second after catcher Morgan Cummins dropped the ball on the tag at home. 
 
LSU put pressure on Auburn in the bottom of the sixth. Pinch hitter Ali Newland led off the inning with a single. Back-to-back infield singles by Aliyah Andrews and Ciara Briggs loaded the bases with no outs. Pleasants then hit a no doubter against the wind on a 3-1 pitch to deep center field to clear the bases and secure the win.
 
Shelby Lowe (13-8) was charged with the loss. She gave up four hits on the day, including the grand slam to Pleasants.

5/8/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Kent Lowe


   ​BATON ROUGE – The Auburn Tigers evened up the three-game softball series with LSU Saturday night with a mid-game outburst that led to a 9-5 decision before a crowd of 1,829 at Tiger Park.
LSU and Auburn will play the final game of the series and the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Tiger Park. The game will be streamed on SECN + and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network (107.3 FM in Baton Rouge).
Auburn broke open a scoreless game in the fourth with three runs, the first two coming on a Makayla Packer home run just over the left field fence with a runner on board that made it 2-0. The visiting Tigers sent another run across thanks to three balls in the infield that would eventually score Maddison Koepke with the third run.
LSU came back in the bottom of the inning with two runs as two batters after a Taylor Pleasants single, Georgia Clark hit a mammoth shot over the center field fence for her eighth home run of the season, cutting the margin to 3-2. Shelbi Sunseri nearly tied the game later in the inning hitting another drive to center field that fell into the glove of the Auburn outfield at the edge of the fence. 
But Auburn came back in the fifth to score four runs on four hits. A walk and an infield single started things for Auburn. After a sacrifice, pinch runner Carlee McCondichie scored on a pass ball. Packer reached base scoring Makenna Dowell with the second run of the inning. Then Koepke blasted a triple to the right of the center field logo scoring Packer and Koepke would come in on a ground ball in the infield to make it 7-2 for the visitors. 
LSU tried to rally in the sixth with two runs as Amanda Doyle scored on a Raeleen Gutierrez ground out and Morgan Cummins singled to score pinch runner Savannah Stewart. LSU brought the tying run to the plate later in the inning as Auburn brought in its third pitcher of the night, but still trailed, 7-4 after six.
Auburn tallied two in the seventh to make it 9-4. LSU was able to plate one in the bottom of the seventh inning to cut it to 9-5. Auburn's Shelby Lowe came in to get the save as the tying run had reached the on-deck circle before the game ended. 
Auburn starter Maddie Penta pitched three-and-a-third innings to get the win to run her record to 9-8. Starting pitched Maribeth Gorsuch went three-and-two-third innings and was charged with the loss (2-3). LSU is now 30-18 and 12-11 in the SEC, while Auburn is 27-20 and won for the seventh time in 23 SEC games. 

5/8/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – Freshman Raeleen Gutierrez hit a walk-off sac fly to right field to score pinch runner Akiya Thymes and lift No. 13 LSU (30-17, 12-10 SEC) to a 2-1 win over Auburn (26-20, 6-16 SEC) Friday night at Tiger Park.
 
“It was a big moment for Raeleen, but I think the biggest moment was Amanda (Doyle) leading off with the hit,” head coach Beth Torina. “Add in the well-executed bunt from one of our best hitters, and it was really a strong team win. We found a way to execute and be productive at the right time, which is really important this time of year.”
 
The teams will meet in game two of the series at 6 p.m. CT Saturday. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ through WatchESPN.com and the app.
 
Senior Amanda Doyle opened the seventh inning with a double to center field and Thymes was moved to third on a bunt by Georgia Clark. The game-winning run came off the bat of Gutierrez to secure the SEC win.
 
Shelbi Sunseri (8-6), who graduated this morning on campus with her bachelor’s degree, threw seven innings and allowed just one run on three hits. Sunseri struck out a pair and didn’t walk any batters. She was backed up by stellar defensive work in the field.
 
Shelby Lowe (13-8) was charged with the loss. She allowed two runs on six hits and struck out four.
 
LSU struck first in the opening inning to take a 1-0 lead. Aliyah Andrews opened the game with a single and stolen base. She was brought home on a single to left field by Taylor Pleasants.
 
Auburn evened up the game in the third on a solo home run by Aspyn Godwin.