On the final day of the LSU Crossover Tournament, Louisiana and LSU met at Lamson Park for a sold-out showdown. Louisiana loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, but in the end, a two-run home run by Taylor Pleasants and a two-run single by Maci Bergeron proved to be the difference in LSU’s 4-1 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Both LSU and Louisiana started the game in a defensive stalwart, with the Cajuns not getting the first hit until the bottom of the third inning when Sophie Piskos beat out an infield grounder. Kylei Griffin followed her with a double to put runners at second and third for Mihyia Davis. Davis launched a pop fly into left field to score Piskos, but Griffin was caught in a rundown to end the inning, but not before the Cajuns took a 1-0 lead.
LSU took the lead from Louisiana in the fourth inning, starting with a Danieca Coffey single followed by a Ciara Briggs fielder’s choice that moved her to second. Next, Taylor Pleasants stepped up and delivered a two-run homer to dead center that Davis almost robbed to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
Later in the contest, the Tigers threatened again in the 6th when McKenzie Redoutey was hit by a Kandra Lamb pitch and then Karli Petty hit a single to the right field wall to put runners at first and second with one out. Maci Bergeron, a Notre Dame High School product, launched a two-run single into left field with two outs to score Redoutey and Petty to make it 4-1 LSU in the sixth.
Louisiana was able to load the bases in the seventh with a Karly Heath single, a Alexa Langeliers walk, and a Victoria Valdez single, but a fly out by Sophie Piskos sealed the deal for LSU.
BIG NUMBER: 400
LSU hit at a .400 clip with runners on base, which was a key factor in the Tigers’ ability to bring in runs and take over the game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Maci Bergeron/Taylor Pleasants
Pleasants had the two-run home run in the fourth to make it 2-1 and then Bergeron extended the lead in the sixth with the two-run single. Bergeron also had five putouts behind the dish for LSU.
UP NEXT: Louisiana will return to Lamson Park Monday to host Ole Miss with a first pitch set for 5:30 pm. LSU will get set for the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, CA beginning Friday.