#1 Alabama defeated #16 LSU 7-0 in Game One of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional Friday night. With the win, Alabama now leads the Super Regional 1-0, and LSU faces an elimination game on Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jocelyn Briski started in the circle for the Crimson Tide and faced Jalisa Lassiter in the leadoff spot for the Tigers. Lassiter ripped a double to left-center field to start the Super Regional, but the leadoff double was squandered as Briski retired the next three batters she faced.
Payton Monticelli got the start for the Tigers and ran into trouble early against the potent Alabama offense. After a leadoff single and a double, a passed ball got by Maci Bergeron, allowing Jena Young to score from third.
Alabama scratched across another run on a single up the middle from Audrey Vandagriff. It was 2-0 Crimson Tide at the end of the first.
Monticelli looked like she had settled in after the first, retiring five straight. Then, in the third, Alexis Pupillo sent a ball over the right-field fence for a solo home run, putting the Tide up 3-0.
Alabama blew the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth. Monticelli gave up a walk and a couple of hits to load the bases, prompting head coach Beth Torina to make the call to the bullpen.
Monticelli’s final line: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 1 K.
Cece Cellura came on in relief and was immediately greeted by a bases-clearing double off the bat of Young to plate three more runs for Bama, making it 6-0 Crimson Tide.
Briski showcased why she won SEC Pitcher of the Year honors for the Tide. By the fifth inning, she had retired 15 straight batters and recorded nine strikeouts, while the Tigers’ offense had no answer.
In the bottom of the fifth, Alabama added one more. Cellura walked Marlie Giles, then back-to-back wild pitches and a throwing error by Bergeron that rolled into left field put Bama up 7-0.
Briski’s dominance continued as she shut out LSU, sealing a 7-0 win for Alabama.
BIG NUMBER: 21
Briski sent 21 straight Tigers back to the dugout.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jocelyn Briski
After a lead-off double, Briski threw a perfect game. She retired 21 straight batters, with 11 strikeouts. LSU had no answer for the SEC Pitcher of the Year. Her final line: 7 IP, 1 H 0 R, 0 BB, 11 K, 94 P.
UP NEXT: Game two of the Tuscaloosa Super Regional will be tomorrow, Saturday, May 23rd, at 2:00 p.m. from Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa.