Tigers Improve to 2-1 with a Chilly Victory over Kansas

Photo By: LSUsports.net

2/13/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports!


   BATON ROUGE, LA: The Tigers look to rebound from their first loss of the season as they would take on  the Kansas Jayhawks on day three of the "Tiger Classic"... Both teams would battle not only each other but the cold weather as well. LSU would show their toughness and grit as they would fight their way to a 5-3 victory.... 



   Maribeth Gorsuch would take the circle for the Tigers and would have no problem putting the Jayhawks down in order, three up-three down quickly in her 2021 debut. 
   The Tigers would come to bat in the bottom of the first sending lead off hitter Aliyoh Andrews up to the plate. Andrews would single to third base, then quickly steal 2nd, before advancing to 3rd base on a Taylor Pleasants ground out. Amanda Doyle would strike out, then Georgia Clark would fly out to left field to strand Andrews on 3rd.

   
   Gorsuch wouldn't find the same results to start the 2nd inning as Jayhawks lead off hitter Shelby Gayre would blast a deep homerun over the left field wall.. The Jayhawks would strand a runner on first as Gorsuch would get the Tigers out of the inning with no more damage done.
   Shelbi Sunseri would lead off and strike out watching a 3rd strike pitch. Freshman Ciara Briggs would step up next and would send a solo homerun shot to left center field to tie the game at 1-1. Kansas pitcher Hailey Reed would sit down the next two Tigers to end the 2nd inning.

   
   Gorsuch would take the Jayhawks down in order, three up-three down in the top of the 3rd...
   The Tigers would also find it tough going in the cold weather as they could only manage a walk by Taylor Pleasants while Reed would have no trouble getting her team out of the 3rd inning.

   
   Kansas would manage back to back singles after their lead off batter would pop out, but no damage done as the Tigers would play nice defense to send us to the bottom of the inning...
   Shelbi Sunseri would lead off the bottom of the 4th with a double to deep center field and would be
replaced by pinch runner Anna Jones. Briggs would then single to the pitcher and advance to 2nd base while Reed got caught fiddling with the ball. With runners at 2nd and 3rd and no outs, Coffey would ground out to the Jayhawks catcher, setting up Morgan Cummins. Cummins would send a RBI sacrifice fly to center field to score Jones giving the Tigers their first lead of the contest, 2-1.  A pop up would end the 4th inning of play.

   
   Haleigh Harper would lead off the top of the 5th inning for Kansas and would waste little time sending the ball over the wall in the left field corner to tie up the game. After a fly out and then a single by Brittney Jackson, Coach Torina would decide to go with a pitching change, bringing Shelbi Sunseri out of the bullpen to relieve Maribeth Gorsuch.  Shelby Gayre would once again prove to be a thorn in the Tigers side tonight as she would single down the left field line to drive in the go ahead run. The Tigers would then find themselves in a pressure situation after a walk and a hit batter would load the bases for the Jayhawks with two outs. Sunseri and the defense would get the final out only allowing the two runs.
   Trailing 3-2 going to the bottom of the 5th inning the Tigers had some work to do and get to work they did. After Andrews would ground out to start the bottom of the inning, Pleasants would draw a walk, setting up Amanda Doyle. Doyle would give the lead back to the Tigers with a two run homerun over the right center field wall. But the fireworks weren't quite finish yet, as Georgia Clark would step up next and blast a solo shot over the left field wall for back-to-back homeruns and a 5-3 lead. The back-to-back dingers would chase Hailey Reed from the game.  Lexy Mills would now take the circle for the Jayhawks with only one out. After
allowing two base runners, Mills was able to finally sit the Tigers down and end a very lengthy 5th inning. 


   Sunseri and the Tigers defense would do a great job in the top of the 6th. They would face four batters allowing only one base runner but send Kansas back to the dugout after a great play by Danieca Coffey as she would make a great play at second base for the final out. 
   Taryn Antoine would lead off the bottom of the inning with a single. The next two LSU batters would ground out moving Antoine to 3rd base where she would wait for Doyle to step to the plate with two outs. Doyle would fly out to center field to end the 6th inning with LSU still on top, 5-3.


   Shelbi Sunseri would come into the 7th inning facing the heart of the Jayhawks lineup. After a quick fly out for out #1, Sydnee Ramsey would single, sending Shelby Gayre to the plate. But Gayre would single into a fielders choice to second base for the second out. The Tigers would get the final out for the 5-3 win. Shelbi Sunseri would earn the win to go 2-0 on the season. 

   With the win, #5 LSU is now 2-1 overall on the season...  Up next the Tigers will finish out the Tiger Classic with a double header against Central Arkansas. Games are scheduled for 12:30pm & 3:00pm...
  

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