Da Boot Sports
5/22/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera
 
​ 
   TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 20/22 LSU (34-23) softball season concludes after a 3-2 loss to Cal State Fullerton (37-21) Saturday at Farrington Stadium.
 
First baseman Georgia Clark registered her 10th multiple-hit game of the season and second of the tournament with a 2-fo-2 performance with two RBIs and two walks to lead the team.
 
Pitcher Ali Kilponen (18-9) tossed a complete game where she struck out four batters and gave up four hits, three runs, and two walks.
 
The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning. Third baseman Danieca Coffey singled to third and centerfielder Ciara Briggs singled to the pitcher before both runners moved to second and third on shortstop Taylor Pleasants’ sacrifice bunt. Clark followed by driving in both Coffey and Briggs with a single to the shortstop.
 
The Titans responded in the bottom half inning with three runs on two hits and one LSU error to hold a 3-2 lead after the opening frame.
 
Neither club scored another run in the game. The Tigers defense allowed only five base runners for the remainder of the contest, but was unable to push across another run despite having five runners in scoring position.
 
Head Coach Beth Torina
Opening Statement…
“I just want to thank Arizona State’s staff for running a first-class event. It was really easy to participate in and just be a part of, so we appreciate it and congrats to the teams continuing on. Obviously, this year did not go how we had planned. I think our team is talented, but we just could not overcome some of the distractions and some of the things that happened throughout. It’s not always about talent. This is not where we want to be, or where we plan to be, and we plan to use our off-season to find ways to improve so that we’re not in this spot again. I am proud of a lot of the things this team accomplished this year, some of them not just between the lines, but proud of the things that this team did in our community. They lead our department in things like service hours and things that you may not see in the wins and losses. This team was really special in a lot of ways and I’m proud of our three seniors and what they accomplished in their time. Shelby Wickersham, Jordyn Perkins, and Shelbi Sunseri, who just led our team and was a huge part in everything we did for the last five years. 

On the first inning…
“I just feel like that sums up our whole season. How do you bounce a ball off a helmet, and it goes into the dugout for two runs? It feels like what we dealt with all year long. Just bad break after bad break, and I know that you create your own luck so that’s on us, but it summed up the whole year in everything that happened to us.”

Pitcher Ali Kilponen 
On continuing to attack throughout the game…
“I think that’s just LSU softball. You can never count us out of a game. Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way, but you can always count on us to be competing every pitch.” 

On her performance tonight…
“I was just trying to trust my stuff and defense. I didn’t really throw my best game, honestly, but I know I’m going to be pushing myself this off season.”
 
Pitcher/Utility Shelbi Sunseri 
“I think the standard of our program is to fight and I think that’s what we did all weekend. Every game we were in until the very last out and I think that’s what tigers are. That’s what we do. That’s what LSU does well. I think you’re going to continue to see that in the years to come. You’re going to continue to see them put in the work and fight every day at practice and every game to be the best that they can be, and I think that’s all that you can ask.”

Da Boot Sports
5/20/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   ​TEMPE, Ariz. – No. 20/22 LSU (34-22) dropped the Tempe Regional opener to San Diego State (38-14), 10-5 Friday at Farrington Stadium.
 
Both teams traded blows to a 5-5 tie through the first three innings before the Aztecs pulled away with five unanswered runs.
 
Sophomore Ali Newland went 3-for-3 at the dish, including a three-run shot, her seventh homer of the season. Junior Georgia Clark finished the game 2-for-3 at the plate, and sophomore Morgan Smith hit a two-run home run to record her second homer in as many games.
 
Sophomore Danieca Coffey and senior Shelbi Sunseri each logged one hit to bring the Tigers’ total as a team to 10.
 
Junior Ali Kilponen (18-8) picked up the loss after striking out three batters and allowing five hits and five runs in 2.2 innings pitched. Sunseri saw 3.1 innings of action in the circle and finished with a pair of strikeouts while giving up six hits and five runs. Both pitchers allowed one walk. 
 
The Aztecs struck first with back-to-back solo shots in the top of the first inning to grab an early 2-0 lead. In the second inning however, Newland led off the frame with a single and Smith went yard to tie the game 2-2 through two innings.
 
San Diego State responded swiftly with three runs on three hits in the top of the third and forced an LSU pitching change, but the Tigers answered again with the long ball – a three-run dinger from Newland to tie the game at five after three innings of play.
 
In the fourth inning, SDSU pieced together another three-run stanza and retired LSU in order to take an 8-5 lead into the fifth inning. The Aztecs added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth and seventh frames and held off the Tigers’ threat with runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.
 
Head Coach Beth Torina
On the outing for the Tigers in game one…
“We played badly. I mean I don’t know what else to say. We did not play very well. We did not execute. I thought our offense did a good job. We swung well. There were a lot of line drives and things we hit hard. It just didn’t fall for us. Ultimately, we gave their offense too many opportunities. We turned their lineup over and they came to the plate too often.”

On facing Mac Barbara…
“Yeah, she did a great job tonight. She was a good hitter. I mean, she beat us.”

On taking Kilponen out after three…
“I am confident that she gave us everything she had. I’m confident that she gave us her best effort, it just wasn’t her day. It’s easier to go get her when you have somebody like Shelbi Sunseri to follow her who is super talented and has led this staff for a long time. I think you make the move a little quicker here in the postseason when you have somebody like that behind her that you’re confident in as well.” 
 
Pitcher/Utility Shelbi Sunseri
On playing tomorrow with their backs against the wall…
“One pitch at a time. One inning at a time. I think we just win each moment and whatever happens, happens. I think this is a team that fights, and we fight until the end. That’s exactly what we're going to do.” 

Outfielder Ali Newland
On her three-run home run to tie the game in the third…
“We came in and did our homework on their pitcher and we did a good job of preparing for her, so we knew what we were getting. I took a couple pitches and then just put a good swing on one and put our team back in the position to do things.” 
 
ON DECK
LSU will face the loser between No. 8 overall seed Arizona State and Cal State Fullerton in an elimination game at 6:30 p.m. CT.

Da Boot Sports
5/16/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The LSU softball team will make its 23rd NCAA Tournament appearance after receiving the No. 2 seed in the Tempe Regional May 20-22.Regional host and No. 8 seed Arizona State will be the top seed in the regional, while San Diego State and Cal State Fullerton will be the No. 3 and No. 4 seed, respectively. The Tigers will take on San Diego State on Friday, May 20 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
   The Tigers receive a berth to the NCAA Tournament for the 16th consecutive season and has a record of 81-52 in the Big Dance with six NCAA Women’s College World Series appearances (2001, 2004, 2012, 2015-2017). Head coach Beth Torina has led LSU to the Women’s College World Series four times, including three consecutive seasons, 2015-2017 – one of two programs in the nation to accomplish that feat in that period (UCLA).
   LSU enters the 2022 Softball NCAA Tournament with a 34-21 record behind the nation’s third toughest strength of schedule.

Da Boot Sports
5/13/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Junior Ali Kilponen was honored to the 2022 All-SEC First Team while junior Georgia Clark and sophomores Ciara Briggs, Danieca Coffey, and Taylor Pleasants all garnered All-SEC Second Team distinctions announced by the league office Friday. Briggs was also named to the 2022 SEC All-Defensive Team, marking the fourth consecutive season that LSU has been represented on the SEC All-Defensive Team excluding the 2020 season (COVID-19).
Kilponen earned her first career All-SEC postseason accolade and becomes the first LSU Tigers pitcher to be honored to the All-SEC First Team since 2018 (Allie Walljasper). This season, Kilponen has recorded a 2.32 ERA behind 138 strikeouts which ranks No. 8 in the SEC. Kilponen has posted 18 wins in the circle (No. 4 in the SEC) and threw five shutouts, including her first career no-hitter against Nicholls on March 23.
Briggs was placed on the 2022 All-SEC Second Team and listed on the 2022 SEC All-Defensive Team as a centerfielder. At the plate, Briggs has a.366 batting average with 67 hits (No. 7 in SEC), a team-high 52 runs scored (No. 3 in SEC), and 32 RBIs. In the outfield, Briggs has accumulated 78 putouts and six assists with no errors in 84 chances. Briggs had several highlight reels in the outfield this season, including SportsCenter’s No. 1 play in its Top 10 Plays where she robbed a home run against Texas Tech on Feb. 20. 
Clark and Coffey were named to the 2022 All-SEC Second Team, receiving their first All-SEC postseason awards. Clark is batting .285 on the year and leads the Tigers with 16 home runs (No. 8 in SEC), 59 RBIs (No. 3 in SEC), and a .656 slugging percentage. Clark’s 16 home runs this season ranks No. 6 in the program’s record book for the most home runs in a single season. Coffey pace the Tigers with a .385 batting average, .464 on-base percentage, 70 hits (No. 3 in SEC), and 10 stolen bases to go along with 26 RBIs. Coffey hit a grand slam as her first career home run in the regular season finale against Mississippi State on May 8.
Pleasants becomes a two-time All-SEC recipient after being placed on the 2022 All-SEC Second Team. Pleasants is batting .302 on the year, has a team-high 27 extra-base hits, including 14 doubles (No. 2 in SEC), 12 home runs, and one triple. The six-foot shortstop ranks No. 2 in the league with 105 assists and has been involved in 12 double plays in 224 chances.
The NCAA Softball Championship Selection Show will be at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 15 and will be televised on ESPN2.
The complete 2022 SEC Softball Postseason Awards is as follows:

​All-SEC First Team
Montana Fouts, Alabama
Ashley Prange, Alabama
Chenise Delce, Arkansas
Hannah Gammill, Arkansas
Danielle Gibson, Arkansas
Mary Haff, Arkansas
Linnie Malkin, Arkansas
KB Sides, Arkansas
Maddie Penta, Auburn
Skylar Wallace, Florida
Lacey Fincher, Georgia
Jayda Kearney, Georgia
Sara Mosley, Georgia
Erin Coffel, Kentucky
Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky
Lauren Johnson, Kentucky
Ali Kilponen, LSU
Mia Davidson, Mississippi State
Kimberly Wert, Missouri
Brooke Wilmes, Missouri
Haley Lee, Texas A&M
 
All-SEC Second Team
Bailey Dowling, Alabama
Ally Shipman, Alabama
Hannah McEwen, Arkansas
Bri Ellis, Auburn
Cheyenne Lindsey, Florida
Sydney Kuma, Georgia
Renee Abernathy, Kentucky
Tatum Spangler, Kentucky
Clara Briggs, LSU
Georgia Clark, LSU
Danieca Coffey, LSU
Taylor Pleasants, LSU
Chloe Malau’ulu, Mississippi State
Jenna Laird, Missouri
Ivy Davis, Tennessee
Erin Edmoundson, Tennessee
Kelcy Leach, Tennessee
Kiki Milloy, Tennessee
Zaida Puni, Tennessee
Katie Dack, Texas A&M
Makinzy Herzog, Texas A&M
 
SEC All-Defensive Team
P – Tatum Spangler, Kentucky
C – Kayla Kowalik, Kentucky
1B – Danielle Gibson, Arkansas
2B – Hannah Adams, Florida
SS – Ivy Davis, Tennessee
3B – Hannah Gammill, Arkansas
LF – Casidy Chaumont, Missouri
CF – Ciara Briggs, LSU
RF – Rylea Smith, Kentucky
 
Player of the Year: KB Sides, Arkansas
Pitcher of the Year: Chenise Delce, Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Bri Ellis, Auburn
Coach of the Year: Courtney Deifel, Arkansas

 Da Boot Sports
5/11/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 18/20 LSU (34-21) forced extra innings but dropped a 7-4 decision to Mississippi State (33-23) in the first round of the SEC Tournament Wednesday at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
 
LSU forced the game to nine innings, marking the ninth time they played extra innings in the SEC Tournament (last in 2016). It was the second extra inning game against Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament (1999, 9.0 innings).
 
The Tigers offense finished with six hits, highlighted by a two-run home run from sophomore Morgan Smith – her first career homer. Sophomore Ciara Briggs had one hit and two RBIs in the seventh inning, while four other batters recorded one hit.
 
Junior Ali Kilponen (18-7) picked up the loss in a relief effort where she struck out four batters and allowed nine hits, four runs and one walk. Senior Shelbi Sunseri started the game in the circle and finished with one strikeout and gave up three hits and three runs in 2.0 innings pitched.
 
Mississippi State struck first with a two-run home run in the first inning, but Smith hit her first career dinger over the center field wall, driving in two runs after Sunseri’s double earlier in the second inning.
 
The Bulldogs responded immediately with two runs thanks to an RBI single and RBI double in the top of the third and held a 4-2 lead through the next three innings.
In the seventh inning, junior Savannah Stewart drew a walk and sophomore Danieca Coffey hit a double to put runners in scoring position. Sophomore Ciara Briggs logged hit her first hit of the day with a two RBI single up the middle that tied the score, 4-4 to extend the game.
 
Both teams threatened with runners on third base in the eighth inning, but neither could cross a run. In the ninth inning, Mississippi State broke the tie with back-to-back RBI singles and a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-4 heading to the bottom of the inning. From there the Tigers went three up and three down to end the game.
 
LSU Head Coach Beth Torina
“I thought our team showed a lot of fight in the seventh inning. I thought it was ours for the taking there a couple times in extra innings, but just couldn't seem to come up with a big hit. Hats off to their pitchers for making big pitches. (Aspen) Wesley came in, struck out the side and did a good job. I thought they did a good job of making big pitches in big situations.
 
ON DECK
The NCAA Softball Championship Selection Special will be at 6 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 15 where LSU will receive its regional fate. The selection show will be televised on ESPN2.

Da Boot Sports
5/9/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The LSU softball team has earned the No. 6 seed in the 2022 SEC Tournament set to take place May 10-14 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.
The Tigers will take on No. 11 seed Mississippi State on Wednesday, May 11 at 11 a.m. CT. All SEC Tournament games will be televised on SEC Network with exception to the semifinal and final round which will air on ESPN2. The entire 2022 SEC Tournament bracket can be viewed here.
LSU enters the 2022 SEC Tournament with the most wins and best winning percentage in SEC Tournament history (45-24; .652). The Bayou Bengals have made the tournament finals 11 times with their last appearance in 2017 and has hoisted five SEC Tournament Championship titles (1999, 2001-2002, 2004, and 2007).
The Tigers finished the 2022 regular season 34-20, including a 13-11 mark in SEC games. LSU posted a 10-5 record in its final 15 games of the season.

Da Boot Sports
5/9/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 19/20 LSU (34-20, 13-11 SEC) fell short of the sweep as Mississippi State (32-23, 10-14 SEC) came from behind to pick up a 6-5 victory Sunday afternoon at Nusz Park.
 
Sophomore Danieca Coffey made her first career home run a grand slam and had a career-high four RBIs, while classmate Ali Newland drove in a run with her fifth hit of the series. Juniors Georgia Clark and Savannah Stewart each had doubles in the setback to round out the Tigers’ four hits.
 
Junior Ali Kilponen moved to 18-6 in the circle after striking out four batters and allowed nine hits, six runs, and four walks.
 
The Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning thanks to Newland’s RBI single, and Coffey’s grand slam, but the Bulldogs responded with six unanswered runs - four runs in the fourth and two in the sixth to gain a 6-5 lead.
 
In the top of the seventh inning with one out, Stewart recorded a pinch-hit double to left field, and freshman McKenzie Redoutey was hit by a pitch to put a runner in scoring position. That would be the extent of the rally however, as the Bulldogs retired the next two batters to complete the comeback, 6-5.
 
ON DECK
Next up is the SEC Tournament in Gainesville, Fla. May 10-14. Final seeding, opponents, and game times will be finalized later this evening.

Da Boot Sports
5/7/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 19/20 LSU (34-19, 13-10 SEC) caught fire late as they defeated Mississippi State (31-23, 9-14 SEC), 9-2 Saturday afternoon at Nusz Park. With the win, the Tigers clinched the series heading into the regular season finale.
 
The LSU defense played well behind senior Shelbi Sunseri as she improved to 8-7 in the circle with two strikeouts and allowed three hits and one walk in her seventh complete game this season. After trailing 1-0 entering the sixth inning, the Tigers blew the game open with seven runs after capitalizing four Bulldog errors.
 
Sophomores Ciara Briggs and Ali Newland turned in consecutive two-hit games to lead the Tigers. Briggs had a game-high three RBIs, while Newland had two ribbies, including her sixth home run of the season. Junior Georgia Clark hit her 16th dinger this season, while sophomores Danieca Coffey and Morgan Smith each had a hit and Smith added an RBI.
 
Sunseri threw 4.1 innings of shutout softball before Mississippi State plated one run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
The Tigers responded in the top of the sixth with both Briggs and sophomore Taylor Pleasants reaching on errors, and Clark drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Sunseri earned an RBI with the Bulldogs’ third error of the inning, and LSU took a 2-1 lead when Newland was credited with an RBI after wearing a pitch. With the bases still loaded and no outs, Smith hit an RBI single to right field, and sophomore Cait Calland walked in another run. Briggs – who led off the inning – capped the inning with a three-RBI double to make the score 7-1 after six innings. 
 
LSU added two more runs in the top of the seventh inning with solo shots from Clark and Newland. Mississippi State added one run with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh, but that’s all they could muster as LSU closed out the game with the 9-2 victory.
 
ON DECK
The LSU-Mississippi State series will conclude Sunday with the first pitch slated to be at noon CT.

Da Boot Sports
5/6/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 19/20 LSU (33-19, 12-10 SEC) opened the series against Mississippi State (31-22, 9-13 SEC) with a 7-2 victory Friday night at Nusz Park.
 
The Tigers finish the season 6-2 in SEC series openers this season and are now 26-2 when they hold their opponents to 0-2 scored runs.
Junior Ali Kilponen improved to 18-5 this season on the rubber after striking out one batter and allowed four hits and two runs in her 15th complete game of the season.
 
Senior Shelbi Sunseri hit her 15th home run of the season and 48th of her career as she led the team with three RBIs. Sophomore Ciara Briggs turned in her 21st multiple-hit game this year with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate with one RBI, and sophomore Ali Newland was also 2-for-4 at the dish for her ninth multi-hit game of the season. Sophomore Taylor Pleasants had one hit and two RBIs, classmate Danieca Coffey finished with a hit and an RBI, and sophomore Morgan Smith registered her fourth hit in a five-game stretch to account for the Tigers’ eight hits on the night.
 
Sunseri got things started early with a three-run blast on an 0-2 pitch in the opening half inning. Mississippi State answered with one run on two hits in the bottom half, but the Tigers ended the first inning with a 3-1 lead.
 
After a scoreless second inning, the Bulldogs crossed a run in the third to make the score, 3-2, but LSU pieced together a four-run fourth inning highlighted by four consecutive walks, including an RBI walk for Coffey, an RBI single from Briggs, and a two-RBI single from Pleasants to make the score, 7-2 through four innings.
 
The Bulldogs looked to rally in the seventh stanza and made a little noise but failed to cross a run after the Tigers recorded their second double play of the game and a 6-4 putout to secure the win.
 
ON DECK
The series continues Saturday with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
 

Da Boot Sports
5/1/2022
LSU Sports Communications
By: Keonte Herrera


   ​BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 19 LSU (32-19, 11-10 SEC) fell in the series finale to No. 9/10 Florida (38-13, 13-11 SEC), 2-1 in nine innings Sunday at Tiger Park. With the loss, the Tigers dropped the series, 1-2.
Junior Ali Kilponen threw a gem with six strikeouts, allowed two runs on six hits, and walked seven batters in a season-high 9.0 innings pitched.
Sophomore Danieca Coffey finished with a team-high two hits in four at-bats, while senior Shelbi Sunseri had one hit and one RBI. Junior Georgia Clark, sophomore Ali Newland, and freshman McKenzie Redoutey each had one hit to make up the six LSU hits on the day.
The Gators scored first thanks to a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but after three scoreless frames to start the game, the Tigers knotted the score 1-1 in the fourth with an RBI single off Sunseri’s bat.
The Tigers’ defense held off Florida for six consecutive innings, but Florida hit a solo shot in top of the ninth inning to grab a 2-1 lead and eventual final score.
Head Coach Beth Torina 
On the game being so competitive…  
“It came down to just a couple of pitches and I think we allowed that to happen by not taking advantage of some situations that we had. I think it could have easily gone our way. I think our defense played well and Ali [Kilponen] pitched incredibly. She worked her way out of some jams and made some big pitches in some big spots. You know, just didn’t get that timely hit.” 
  
On McKenzie Redoutey’s near homerun… 
“We have had that play more times than I would like to see this year where it seems like the ball always bounces back in, but I think it’s just one of those things. I don’t know if we can do anything differently about it. I guess hit it another foot further, another couple inches further. She put a good swing on a pitch, so she did a good job.” 
 
Pitcher Ali Kilponen 
On how she felt after throwing over 150 pitches... 
"I feel good. Our trainers help keep us going. I have some good stretches I do during the game, and they help take care of me after the games, so my body feels fine. I could pitch another seven innings if needed." 
  
On the homerun in extra innings... 
"[Cheyenne] Lindsey is just a great hitter. That was my fifth time facing her today, and at the end of the day you just have to tip your cap because it was a good pitch, she just had my number during that at bat." 
Pitcher/Utility Shelbi Sunseri 
On her last game in Tiger Park… 
“It’s a bittersweet moment. We knew it was coming, so I think that I was kind of prepared for it. Really all I can say is that I'm blessed to be able to have done this journey with these people. I think that's the coolest part of it. It's like yes, it is coming to an end, but you still have postseason, and you still have games left. I think it's just a bittersweet moment knowing that this was my last game in Tiger Park, and I got to do it with people that I love and with coaches that I love so much.” 
  
On the game coming down to the wire… 
“It was definitely a close game. We fought the whole time. I think Ali [Kilponen] threw a heck of a game and did all she could for us. I think at the end of the day, we just didn’t get things to fall where they needed. We didn’t get timely hits when we needed them. They threw well today as well. They had a plan and they stuck with it. We put up a good fight though and our defense played phenomenally, we just came up short this time.” 
ON DECK
LSU will end the regular series with a three-game series at Mississippi State May 6-8.