4/27/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – The LSU softball team (28-15, 10-8 SEC) moved up one spot to No. 14 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 16 in the USA Today/NFCAD1 Coaches poll.
 
   LSU has been ranked every week since the end of the 2014 season. The Tigers won another SEC series, their fifth overall in the Southeastern Conference.
 
   LSU earned a total of 310 points in the NFCA poll and 241 points in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
 
   The Tigers return home after nearly a month on the road to face No. 7/10 Arkansas Saturday-Monday. All three games will be televised nationally. Game one will be on ESPNU and games two and three will be on SEC Network.

4/26/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the third-straight week, after dropping game one of the series, No. 15 LSU (28-15, 10-8) swept its doubleheader to take the series win over No. 14 Kentucky (32-12, 7-11 SEC) Sunday at John Cropp Stadium.
 
   The Tigers combined to blast six home runs on Sunday to win their first series in Lexington under head coach Beth Torina. It marked the eighth-straight series win overall, fourth-straight SEC series and fifth SEC series of the season. LSU is now 9-1 in doubleheaders this season.
 
   “This team showed outstanding fight and effort,” Torina said. “We backed ourselves into a corner once again, losing the first game, but there was never a doubt that they could get the job done twice on Sunday. The offense produced in all three games from the top of the lineup all the way down and delivered in crucial moments. We are ready to get back to Tiger Park and finish out the SEC schedule.”
 
   LSU returns home after nine-straight games on the road May 1-3 against Arkansas. The Tigers went 6-3 during the road swing with three series wins.
 


Game 1 Recap
 
   Shelby Sunseri (7-5) earned the win for the Tigers in seven innings of work. Sunseri gave up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits. Kentucky starter Tatum Spangler (3-3) was charged the loss. She gave up three runs in the first inning.
 
LSU put up multi-run innings in four of seven innings. Kentucky scored solo home runs in the first and second inning. The Wildcats added one-run innings in the third on a single and in the fifth on a sac fly. They made a threat in the seventh with three unearned runs.
 
Pleasants started the game with a three-run home run to right-center field, her team-leading ninth dinger of the season.
 
Cummins added her second home run of the weekend, a two-run shot, in the third to give LSU a 5-2 lead.
 
The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth on an RBI-double from Sunseri and sac fly by Cummins. Doyle’s single in the sixth plated another run and Sunseri added two more on a double off the wall in left field.
 

​
​Game 2 Recap
 
   Ali Kilponen earned the win for the Tigers in the rubber game after entering in relief in the first inning. Kilponen pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just one run on three hits.
 
Autumn Humes (15-6) earned the loss. She was charged with eight runs, only one earned, in 2.2 innings. 
 
Kentucky got off to a hot start in the first with three runs off of LSU starter Shelby Wickersham. The Wildcats scored one on a single through the right side by Renee Abernathy and then two on a single up the middle by Mallory Peyton.
 
Amanda Doyle hit a solo home run to center field on an 0-2 count to cut into UK’s lead.
 
LSU scored nine runs, all with two outs, in the third inning to take a 10-3 lead. With runners in scoring position, the Tigers tied the game after an error by the shortstop.
 
The Tigers then went back-to-back with a three-run home run from Morgan Cummins and solo home run by Taylor Tidwell. Ciara Briggs roped a double right down the left field line to plate a run and Taylor Pleasants ended the inning with a two-run jack to straight center field.
 
Kentucky’s fourth run came on a solo home run by Miranda Stoddard.

4/24/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   LEXINGTON, Ky. – A five-run fifth inning lifted No. 14 Kentucky (32-10, 7-9 SEC) to a 7-5 win over No. 15 LSU (26-15, 8-8 SEC) Friday night at John Cropp Stadium.


Down by two runs in the fifth, the Wildcats used a grand slam and solo shot  to defeat the Tigers.


LSU’s Ali Kilponen (11-6) was charged with the loss after giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits in 4.2 innings of work. Kentucky’s Grace Baalman (8-3) earned the win in 2.2 innings of relief.


Due to Inclement weather the teams will play a double header on Sunday. The first game will start at 11:00am and will be televised on ESPN2, followed by game two at 1:30pm. Patrick Wright will also have the radio call on the LSU Sports Radio Network.


The Tigers got on top of the Wildcats in the second to take a 2-0 lead. Catcher Morgan Cummins hit a two-run shot deep to left field for her third home run of the season.


Kentucky responded in the third with a pair of runs with two outs. Kayla Kowalki scored on an error in the infield and the Wildcats scored the tying run on a wild pitch.


Georgia Clark answered in the fifth to give the Tigers a 5-2 lead. With runners on after a single and walk, Clark hit her seventh home run of the year. The ball hit off the glove of UK’s left fielder to drop over the fence. 


The Wildcats loaded the bases in the fifth inning after a single, error and walk. Kentucky took the 6-5 lead with one swing off the bat of Renee Abernathy for the grand slam to left field. UK extended its lead to 7-5 on a solo home run by Mallory Peyton.  

4/20/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – The LSU softball team (26-14, 8-7 SEC) is No. 15 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and No. 17 in the USA Today/NFCAD1 Coaches poll.
 
   LSU has been ranked every week since the end of the 2014 season. The Tigers took the non-conference series over NC State in Raleigh with wins in the doubleheader on Saturday.  
 
   LSU earned a total of 303 points in the NFCA poll and 211 points in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.
 
   LSU returns to the road to take on No. 14 Kentucky Friday-Sunday in Lexington. Game one on Friday will be on SEC Network+ and the remaining games of the series will be televised on ESPN2.

4/18/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Kent Lowe


   RALEIGH, North Carolina – LSU for the second straight weekend swept a doubleheader after losing the series opener, defeating North Carolina State, 2-1 and 13-2, Saturday night at Curtis and Jacqueline Dail Stadium. 
   Taylor Tidwell hit her fourth home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning to push No. 15 LSU to the first game win and then run-ruled the Wolfpack in the second game after six innings. LSU scored multiple runs in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings to put away the second game. 
   That game was highlighted by home runs by Raeleen Gutierrez and Ciara Briggs, a bases clearing double by Taylor Pleasants and a two-RBI triple by Aliyah Andrews. 
   Ali Kilponen and Shelbi Wickersham both picked up complete game victories for the Tigers. 

   "I think it's fun to have a day like this because you get to see a lot of different people contribute," Coach 
Beth Torina said afterwards. "Lot of people throughout the lineup, different pitchers on the mound and a lot of people contributed to the success of the team today. I think Aliyah Andrews was big in this game. Ciara Briggs was incredible all weekend long and that's two weekends in a row where she has carried us. It's cool to see her do the little things. Taking an extra base here, dropping a bunt there as well as the big swings. It's the little things that make as big a difference as the big swings."
   In regard to her team's pitching this weekend, Coach Torina said: "I was really proud of the pitching all weekend. I thought Shelbi Sunseri had a really solid performance (Friday) too. I thought the entire pitching staff threw well. I thought Ali Kilponen was really able to keep them at bay and then Wickersham is so different from Ali it set her up to have success."
   LSU is now 26-14 heading to a three-game SEC series next weekend at Kentucky, while NC State falls to 22-13. 


          GAME 1:

   Both teams were able to scratch a run over in the first inning, both on sacrifice fly balls. 
In the top of the first inning, Briggs hit a one-out single on a 3-2 pitch and NC State starting pitcher Sydney Nester had trouble finding the strike zone, loading the bases on eight pitches after the Briggs single.
NC State elected to change pitchers, bringing in lefthander Estelle Czech. The first batter she faced, Gutierrez hits a fly ball down the left field line that was caught. Briggs scored from third as the throw was caught off and for the second straight night the Tigers led, 1-0.
   Kilponen walked the leadoff hitter Angie Rizzi. Rizzi stole second and advanced to third on a groundout by Sam Russ. Logan Morris then hit a sacrifice fly of her own to left field and Rizzi beat the throw to the plate to tie the game at 1-1. 
   At that point the game developed into a pitcher's duel between Czech and Kilponen. The first threat for LSU came in the fourth when Gutierrez walked and then Savannah Stewart singled to put runners on first and second. But LSU could not move the runners any further and the inning ended with the score still at 1-1.
   NC State hit two singles in the bottom of the fourth but Kilponen got Tayana Forbes to strike out
and Madeline Curtis to fly out to left field to end that threat. 
LSU had a chance in the top of the sixth inning after Gutierrez was able to reach on an infield single and then advance to second on an error by Czech. But the lefty for the Wolfpack struck out the next two batters to end that threat. 
   In the top of the seventh, Tidwell was the leadoff hitter and she took a belt high 1-2 pitch over the right field fence to give LSU the 2-1 lead. 
   Kilponen went the distance and after a lead off walk in the fifth retired the last nine hitters. Kilponen ran her record to 11-5 while Czech took the loss to fall to 2-2. Kilponen allowed just two hits, the one run, with two walks and eight strikeouts. 



          GAME 2:

   LSU was able to get long home runs by Gutierrez and Briggs to get the lead for good against the Wolfpack in the nightcap of the doubleheader. 
   Gutierrez's home run into the trees past the right field fence came an 0-1 count and opened the scoring in the second inning to give LSU a 1-0 lead. For Gutierrez, it was her second home run of the season. 
   After NC State scored two in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, 2-1, The Tigers regained the lead in the top of the third. Andrews reached on an infield single and then Briggs took a 0-1 pitch over the right center field fence to give LSU a 3-2 lead. 
   It was Briggs' fourth home run of the year. 
   LSU expanded the lead in the fourth inning against reliever Sydney Nester who came in for starter
Abby Trahan after the Briggs homer. Like the first game of the doubleheader which she started, Nester had trouble with the strike zone and after hitting opening batter Morgan Cummins to start the fourth, proceeded to walk Taylor Tidwell. 
   Danieca Coffey hit a ground ball to the right of third which got past the third baseman and
time shortstop Randi Farricker got to it there was no play at any base, loading things for the top of the LSU order. 
   Andrews then proceeded to draw a walk which scored Cummins. Briggs then walked to drive in
Tidwell and Pleasants grounded to third which scored Coffey with the final run of the inning that put LSU up 6-2. 
   LSU scored three more in the fifth after walks to Tidwell, Andrews and after a pitching change by NC State, a third walk to Briggs to load the bases. Taylor Pleasants took an 0-2 pitch and drilled it to the wall in right center for a double, clearing the bases and upping the LSU lead to 9-2.
   LSU loaded the bases with no out in the sixth thanks to three straight singles by Gutierrez, 
Shelbi Sunseri and a bunt singles by Morgan Cummins. One run scored on a short sacrifice fly that scored pinch runner Taryn Antoine from third and then Andrews hit a triple to the left that scored two more runs. Andrews scored when Farricker missed played a ground ball to make it 13-2. 
   Wickersham upped her record to 5-3, getting her second complete game of the season. 
. 

4/11/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ali Kilponen and the Tiger bats lifted No. 15 LSU (24-13, 8-7 SEC) to a series win over No. 19 Missouri (29-10, 7-6 SEC) on Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The Fighting Tigers took the opening game of the doubleheader, 4-2, and scored 11 unanswered in game two to take the series finale, 12-5. 
   Kilponen earned both victories on Sunday for LSU to move to 10-4 on the year. She combined to pitch 13.2 innings, allowed just two runs on seven hits and struck out 15 against a potent Missouri lineup. 
   "We had great contributions from so many people today," head coach Beth Torina said. "It truly was a team effort today. Ali Kilponen was incredible. To come back in game two and pitch six innings after her performance in game one was special."
  "The offense was also really strong and relentless throughout the games from top to bottom. Everyone contributed in the lineup and the dugout brought great energy all day. These were two important and hard-fought wins for our team."
   Aliyah Andrews shined on offense and defense. She made another spectacular diving grab in the bottom of the second inning of game two and went seven-for-nine with two RBI on the day. 


Game One - 4-2 Victory

   Kilponen earned the win after allowing just two runs. Kilponen struck out eight, including four to end innings. Kilponen stranded the bases loaded in the sixth with a strikeout and denied Missouri's comeback attempt in the seventh by stranding two. 
Missouri's Sophie Dandola (3-1) suffered her first loss of 2021. She allowed all four runs, two earned, in four innings. She gave up five hits and struck out just one. 
Missouri got things started in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Brooke Wilmes led off the game with a double. She advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single up the middle from Hatti Moore. 
Georgia Clark evened things up with a solo shot in the second inning for her fifth home run of the season. 
LSU ambushed Missouri in the third inning with three runs to take a 4-1 lead. With runners on second and third, Danieca Coffey singled up the middle. A fielder's choice from Taylor Pleasants and sac fly from Clark plated two more runs. 
Missouri added its second run of the game in the fourth inning with a solo home run off the bat of Kim Wert. 



Game Two – 12-5 Win

   Kilponen entered in the first inning in relief and limited Missouri's damage. She shut out Missouri in 6.2 innings of work and only allowed three hits and struck out seven. 
Megan Schumacher (8-2) was charged the loss after allowing three runs on four hits in one inning. 
LSU took a 1-0 lead in the first after a fielder's choice and error on the Missouri catcher. 
Missouri scored five runs in the first with four of those unearned to respond. Mizzou put two runners on to start the game with a single and error. An RBI single from Hatti Moore and sac fly from Kim Wert scored two. After a throwing error and walk to load the bases, Missouri scored one run on a single up the middle from Riley Frizell and two on a double from Kendall Bailey. 
Andrews hit a one-out single down the line in left field to plate another run and chip into the Missouri lead and make it a 5-2 game. 
Taylor Pleasants cut the Missouri lead to one run in the fourth. With runners on second and third, Pleasants laced a two-out single to right field to plate two runs. 
LSU took a 7-5 lead in the fifth with two outs. Savannah Stewart had her second hit of the season and Jordyn Perkins followed with her first of the year. After the runners moved into scoring position, Ciara Briggs singled to left to plate two. Andrews followed with an infield single to add another run. 
Clark provided another run in the sixth on a solo shot over the berm in left field. It was Clark's second home run of the day. 
LSU sealed the series win in the seventh inning. Heads up base running from Briggs and Morgan Cummins scored two runs on a wild pitch. Tidwell and Pleasants then went back-to-back on bombs over the right field fence to seal the 12-5 win


​On Deck
LSU will travel to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to take on McNeese State at 6:30 p.m. CT Tuesday on CST. The Tigers will then take on NC State on Friday and Saturday in Raleigh, North Carolina for a non-conference series against the Wolfpack. 

4/10/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


​COLUMBIA, Mo. – Due to rain forecast throughout the day on Saturday, No. 15 LSU and No. 17 Missouri will play a doubleheader on Sunday for the final two games of the series.
The action will begin at 9:30 a.m. CT Sunday followed by the series finale at 1 p.m. CT. Game two will be streamed on SEC Network+ and game three will be on ESPNU as originally scheduled.
LSU dropped the series opener on Friday night, 9-1.

4/10/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Brandon Berrio


   COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 19 Missouri (29-7, 7-3 SEC)  defeated No. 15/17 LSU (22-13, 6-7 SEC) 9-1 in five innings to take game one Friday night at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
 
Shelby Sunseri (6-5) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs, just three earned, on six hits in 2.2 innings.
 
Emma Nichols earned the victory to move to 5-2 on the year for Missouri. Nichols entered in the second and limited LSU to one hit in four innings of relief.
 
LSU’s lone run came in the top of the first when freshman shortstop Taylor Pleasants hit a home run to right field that went more than 300 feet over multiple fences and into the parking lot. It was Pleasant’s team-high seventh home run and 29th RBI of the season.
 
Missouri responded in the second to take a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run over the center field wall by Cayla Kessinger.
 
The bulk of Missouri’s damage came in the third with four runs to extend its lead to 6-1. With runners on first and second, catcher Hatti Moore singled to center to plate a run. A fielder’s choice and error scored a run with one out. Riley Frizell then hit a single up the middle to score two runs.
 
Missouri added three more in the fifth to end the game at 9-1. Casidy Chaumont led off the inning with a solo home run. Brooke Wilmes then doubled to the fence in right field to end the game.
 
What’s on Deck
LSU returns to action for game two of the series at 2 p.m. CT Saturday against Missouri. It will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Nate Gatter and Ashley Moore on the call. Patrick Wright has the call on the LSU Sports Radio Network. Live stats will also be available at LSUstats.com. 
 

4/6/2021
LSU Sports Information
​By: Brandon Berrio


   BATON ROUGE – Centerfielder Aliyah Andrews hit a two-RBI triple to left-center to give No. 15/17 LSU a lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and 6-4 win over Louisiana Tech Tuesday night in Tiger Park.
 
LSU improved to 22-12, on the year, while the Lady Techsters fell to 13-15.
 
The Tigers are on the road this weekend to take on Missouri in a three-game series Friday through Sunday. The Tigers start the weekend against Missouri Friday at 6:30 p.m. the game will be available on SEC Network+ and via live stats.
 
Ali Kilponen earned the win in the circle for the Tigers, moving to 8-4 on the season. She entered in the top of the fifth inning and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four batters.
 
The top two of the LSU lineup provided five of LSU’s hits along with four RBI. Andrews went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a triple. Coffey went 2-for-4 with two RBI After Andrews gave LSU a one-run lead in the sixth, Coffey doubled to score Andrews and give the Tigers a 6-4 lead. 
 
Andrews got to work for the Tigers in the top of the first with a single and a stolen base to put a runner on with no outs. Andrews advanced to third and was plated on a fielder’s choice from Taylor Pleasants.
 
The Lady Techsters tied the game in the top of the second on a Tiger miscue, then loaded the bases and plated two more with two outs to take a 3-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the third Ciara Briggs led off with a single and a stolen base, Andrews added a single that advanced Briggs to third. Andrews stole second and Coffey singled up the middle to drive in Briggs and Andrews to tie the game at three.
 
The Lady Techsters pushed across one run in the top of the fifth to take a 4-3 lead. Kilponen limited the damage and left the bases loaded.
 
Torina’s Thoughts
 
On Aliyah Andrews…
 
“I was really proud of the leadership of Aliyah Andrews. I think there was a time I just asked somebody to step up and lead the offense, and she definitely was our leader tonight. I think she has so many days where she’s a leader for us, and so many special things but in a moment where we really needed her to be that she was able to come through for us. I just kept thinking about how much she had worked. She was out here last night just swinging, and I just felt like she deserved that moment I was glad she could come through.”
 
On in-state matchups…
“They matter to us too, and I don't think we ever take them lightly. I think that's why we have historically, you know, been able to perform because we don't take them lightly and we understand that there's great teams in our state there's great teams on our schedule in the midweek. We attack them with our best stuff because we have to because they're good teams you know we're in a really strong part of the country, we're in a strong region and we know that.”

4/4/2021
LSU Sports Information
By: Judy Willson


   BATON ROUGE – The No. 15 LSU softball team fell in game three of the series against Ole Miss 9-4 Saturday afternoon in Tiger Park. The Tigers are 21-12 on the season and 6-6 in the SEC while Ole Miss moves to 22-13 on the season and 6-6 in the SEC.
 
The Tigers take on Louisiana Tech Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Tiger Park for a midweek match up. The game will be on SEC Network+ and will be available via live stats.
 
Ole Miss scored first on a solo homerun over the left field wall in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead over the Tigers. The Rebels added another run in the third inning with a solo shot to extend their lead 2-0 over the Tigers.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Georgia Clark and Amanda Doyle both singled to left field to put two runners on. Karrington Houshmandzadeh entered at second to pinch run for Clark and Raeleen Gutierrez crushed a double to deep centerfield to plate Houshmandzadeh and Doyle, evening the score at two.
 
Ole Miss scored two more runs off of three hits and a Tiger miscue to take a 4-2 lead in the middle of the fifth. LSU answered with one run in the bottom of the fifth on an Aliyah Andrews single that drove in Ciara Briggs, 4-3.
 
In the bottom of the sixth Gutierrez doubled to the right-center gap, Shelbi Sunseri walked to put runners on first and second. Both runners were able to advance on a passed ball and Briggs dropped a single in short centerfield to plate Gutierrez from third, tying the game at four.
 
The two teams were tied at four after seven innings and headed into extra innings. In the top of the eighth, the Rebels scored five runs to extend their lead to 9-4 over the Tigers.
 
Shelbi Sunseri took the loss in the circle moving to 6-4 on the season, Maribeth Gorsuch who started the game in the circle for the Tigers tallied five strikeouts in her four innings of work.
 
Gutierrez was 3-for-4 at the plate for the Tigers with three doubles, one run scored and two RBI. The last time a Tiger recorded three doubles in a game was back in 2019 when Amanda Sanchez did it against Tulsa. Briggs was 2-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI, and Doyle went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Torina’s Thoughts

Feelings on a loss like this …
“It is frustrating, without question. I think we didn't execute some things at times that would have led to us winning but I still think we played well this weekend and I think we definitely have something to build on.”

On Raeleen Gutierrez and how she is coming to her own …
“She's a great hitter. We just had to figure out how to get her at bats. So now that we've been able to do some things in her lineup and do some things with the depth of our personnel. Just getting her consistent and that's going to prove to be really good for us.”

On what the team can work on before the next game …
“I think we're continuing to grow and we're doing a lot of things well, so we'll just keep building. We have Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night which will be a good opportunity for us to keep working, keep building just keep having consistent at bats making quality pitches and solid defense.”

4/2/2021
LSU Sports Information
​By: Judy Willson


   BATON ROUGE – The No. 15 LSU softball team defeated Ole Miss 3-2 Friday night in Tiger Park in game two of the series. The Tigers move to 21-11 on the season and 6-5 in the SEC while Ole Miss falls to 21-13 on the season and 5-6 in the SEC.
 
The Tigers go for the sweep against Ole Miss Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be available on SEC Network+ and via live stats. LSU will wrap up its current five-game homestand on Tuesday against Louisiana Tech at 5 p.m. on SEC Network+ and via live stats.
 
In the bottom of the second, Georgia Clark walked to lead off the inning for the Tigers and Savannah Stewart entered to pinch run at first. Amanda Doyle laced a ball through infield that moved Stewart to third and Raeleen Gutierrez’ sacrifice fly to centerfield pushed Stewart across the plate for an early 1-0 lead over Ole Miss.
 
Danieca Coffey got on base in the third inning on a fielder’s choice and added a stolen base to put a runner on second with two outs. Taylor Pleasants added a hard-hit ball to the second baseman and scored Coffey from second, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
 
Ole Miss tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, 2-2, on singles by Paige Smith and Autumn Gillespie that drove in Jessica Puk and Tate Whitley. LSU’s Ali Kilponen came out of the bullpen to record the last two outs of the inning.

Pleasants broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when she launched a solo shot over the left-center wall to take a Tiger 3-2 lead.
 
Ole Miss put one runner on in the top of the seventh, but Kilponen picked up her fifth strikeout of the game and got a groundout to second to close out the game.
 
Kilponen earned the win in the circle for the Tigers with five total strikeouts in 3.2 innings and moves to 7-4 on the season.
 
Pleasants led the Tigers at the plate going 2-for-3 with a homerun and was responsible for two RBI on the night. Gutierrez went 1-for-2 in the game and recorded the other RBI.
 

Torina’s Thoughts
On the perseverance of the pitchers tonight …
“I thought the pitchers did a good job and our defensive did a good job of keeping us in the ballgame and giving us a chance. Just holding them to a low score and giving our offense a chance to keep working through some things. Then anytime you’ve got Taylor Pleasants coming into the play, you got a chance to win a ballgame.”

If she talked to Taylor Pleasants before her homerun ….
“Lindsay (Leftwich) had talked with her about it between innings. I think they had a pretty good plan and Taylor is a player that is just extremely bought in and extremely coachable so if she's asked to do something she's going do everything she can to execute it. I think they had a good plan and she's talented enough to execute it. Obviously, you know, she comes in, and the game gets tiring, but she finished it up.”

​If she thought she would need to bring in Ali Kilponen tonight …
“Yeah, I think that was the plan we had; I don't know that it always goes that way but tonight it actually went the way I thought it would. I thought we could get through the lineup once or twice and hand it over to Ali. I thought Ali was a good matchup, but I wanted to give them a little bit of a different look before we went to her just based on the game last night. So that was the plan. I thought it was executed really well by the pitchers and I thought it was successful.”

4/1/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   BATON ROUGE, LA: The Tigers would pull out a 1-0 victory over Ole Miss Thursday night at Tiger Park. The game was highlighted by two great pitching performances from LSU's Shelbi Sunseri and Ole Miss pitcher Ann Borgen, as both pitchers would go the distance. 
   Ole Miss would have several chances to get on the board throughout the contest, leaving several runners stranded in scoring position, once leaving the sacks loaded. The Rebels ended up leaving 12 runners on base. The Tigers threatened in the first inning, leaving two runners stranded and would strand a total of five on base total. 
   The winning run would come in the bottom of the 8th inning when Georgia Clark would single to short stop with the bases loaded, scoring Aliyah Andrews from 3rd for the 1-0 victory. 

   With the win, LSU is now 20-11 overall and 5-5 in SEC play...  Ole Miss falls to 21-12 overall and 5-5 in the SEC. 
   Shelbi Sunseri would run her record to 6-3 on the season with the win. 

   Both teams will play game 2 of the series on Friday, April 2 at 6:00pm....