Pleasants’ Grand Slam Gives LSU Softball 1,200th Program Victory

Photo By: LSUsports.net

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.

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