The LSU Tigers softball team began the Baton Rouge Regional strong, beating the Akron Zips 8-0 in six innings on Friday. They waited and found out their next opponent was the Virginia Tech Hokies.
A home run in the early stages of the game helped propel the Bayou Bengals to another 8-0 run-rule win on Saturday, the second of the tournament. That win was the team’s 39th of the season, which meant Beth Torina’s squad needed one more to advance to the Super Regionals.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU’s defense started strong, forcing Virginia Tech’s lineup to go three-up-three-down at the top of the first. That included when Tiger starting pitcher Cece Cellura struck out Rachel Castine for the final out. The Bayou Bengals threatened to score at the bottom of the frame as Jalia Lassiter led off with a single over the first baseman’s head and Kylee Edwards drew a walk with one out. It was all for naught when Alix Franklin lined out to the Hokies’ shortstop, who ran to tag second before Lassiter could recover.
Michelle Chatfield reached first base at the top of the second after Avery Hodge caused a throwing error from third base, giving Virginia Tech its first base runner. She wouldn’t advance as Nora Abromavage, and Zoe Yaeger were the final two outs.
The Tigers took a 3-0 lead before the end of the second. Tori Edwards drew a walk, and Maci Bergeron hit a two-run home run over the center-field wall. A trio of walks by Char Lorenz, Ally Hutchins, and Hodge followed as LSU had yet to record an out in the inning. That prompted the Hokies to make a pitching change, going from Emma Mazzarone to Avery Layton. Lassiter helped put up one more run with a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Lorenz. Mazzarone’s final stat line was five walks, two hits, and two runs allowed.
LSU’s defense made stellar plays the next couple of innings to hold Virginia Tech scoreless. The Hokies recorded one hit between the third and fourth innings, but Jordan Lynch’s hit was neutralized two plays later when Edwards fielded a ground ball from Kylie Aldridge and completed the double play to first to end the inning.
The Bayou Bengals extended their lead at the bottom of the fourth. Daniel walked with two outs, and she scored on an Edwards double into left field. The Hokies challenged the play to see if Daniel left the base early, but the call stood after a review. That gave LSU a four-run advantage with three innings to play.
Virginia Tech’s defense continued to be tested in the later stages of the game. At the bottom of the sixth, Hodge had a leadoff walk and advanced on a Lassiter groundout. Daniel also drew a walk, and both runners moved into scoring position after a Layton wild pitch. Edwards and Franklin then drew in a pair of runs on a single up the middle and a fielding error by the Hokies. Edwards also hit a sacrifice fly into right field to put her team up by seven, and the game ended with a Lorenz RBI hit into left field.
LSU won Saturday’s game 8-0 in six innings for a second day in a row.
BIG NUMBER: 0
LSU’s defense and pitcher Cece Cellura were excellent on the day. They held Virginia Tech’s batting lineup in check, not allowing a runner to be in scoring position in seven innings of action. Because of the team’s success on that side of the ball, Cellura’s final stat line was two hits allowed and three strikeouts in the shutout win.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Maci Bergeron
Bergeron had a great game on Saturday, going 3/4 from the plate and having a two-run home run to her name back in the second inning. That jump started the Tigers to a second 8-0 run-rule win over the Hokies to advance farther in the winner’s bracket of the Baton Rouge Regional.
UP NEXT: The LSU Tiger softball team’s next opponent is TBD. They’ll face either the Akron Zips or the South Alabama Jaguars. First pitch for that game will be at 1:00 PM on Sunday, May 17th.