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The LSU Tigers met up with one of their rivals in the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the 2024 SEC Tournament held at Auburn. It was a nearly four-hour, 14-inning marathon as the Tigers win it 3-2 on a Taylor Pleasants walk-off single.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Alabama started the contest strong with a walk and infield single putting a pair of baserunners in scoring position after a fielder’s choice groundout. With one out, Kali Heivilin delivered with a two-run double in the left-center gap to make it 2-0 Bama after just 14 pitches.
LSU got just their second base runner of the game in the bottom of the third when Sierra Daniel reached on a throwing error and advanced to second to get into scoring position with two outs for Ciara Briggs, who grounded out to Kayla Beaver to end the inning. Beaver had five strikeouts through the first three innings.
In the fourth, Alabama had a pair of base hits as Heivilin got her second double of the game before Abby Duchscherer got a single and advanced on a groundout to put both runners in scoring position with just one out. The Tigers got out of the jam after a pair of infield groundouts ended the frame.
LSU got runners in scoring position in the fourth as Raeleen Gutierrez was hit by a pitch and Taylor Pleasants was walked. However, back-to-back groundouts from Ali Newland and Maci Bergeron ended the threat and kept the Tigers off the board.
In the sixth, McKenzie Redoutey was hit by a pitch before Gutierrez singled into right field to put runners at the corners for the All-American shortstop Pleasants, who walked to load the bases. After a strikeout by Newland and a long at-bat by Bergeron, the Notre Dame High product was walked to put LSU on the board and keep the bases loaded. Kelley Lynch, the Washington transfer, pinch-hit and was hit by a pitch to tie the game while the bases remained loaded. Karli Petty made good contact with a pitch but flew out to center field to end the frame.
Sierra Daniel got on to start the bottom of the seventh with a walk before advancing to third on a single from Gutierrez. However, a strikeout by Pleasants ended the threat and sent this game to extra innings.
Alabama got a pair of base runners in the eighth and made things uncomfortable for LSU, but Sydney Berzon was able to get the Tugers out of the jam and back to the plate with an opportunity to win the game.
In the tenth, Pleasants hit a single down the first base line but had a close play at first with the Alabama first baseman, but the Tide were able to get out of the inning.
Alabama got a double in the 11th inning when Marlie Giles hit a double in the gap on Berzon’s 160th pitch of the day. Newland laid out and made a web gem catch at the foul line to keep the Tide off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the 14th inning, Daniel, Briggs, and Gutierrez all singled to load the bases for Pleasants, who singled to center field to score Daniel and walk off Alabama in 14 innings.
BIG NUMBER: 14
Today’s game between LSU and Alabama was the longest game by innings in the history of the SEC Tournament, with the Tigers taking the game 3-2.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Sydney Berzon
After a rocky start where the sophomore gave up a pair of runs in the top of the first, Berzon settled in and kept Alabama off the scoreboard, keeping LSU in the contest even late into extra innings. She gave up eight hits and two runs while striking out five in 14 innings and 208 pitches.
UP NEXT: LSU will battle #1 Tennessee on Thursday at 10 a.m. in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.