In front of a Lamson Park record 3,107 fans, the No. 13-ranked University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns defeated No. 7 LSU Tigers 2-1 to give Gerry Glasco his 100th win as UL head coach. With the win, UL improved to 7-1 overall while LSU dropped to 6-1 on the season.
How It Happened:
LSU took the lead in the top of the second.
Shelbi Sunseri struck out but the ball got past the catcher and she reached first base. A few moments later, Sunseri would scored on a deep sacrifice fly ball to the fence in right field drove by Morgan Cummins.
UL though tied the game, and then took its own lead, in the bottom of the second.
A solo home run by Sarah Hudek landed in the bleachers behind the left field wall got things going for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Alissa Dalton would then draw a walk and stole second base and was soon joined on the base paths by Taylor Roman who also drew a walk.
Carrie Boswell then dropped a single right over second base which loaded the bases with one out. Bailey Curry came into the game as a pinch hitter for Melissa Mayeaux and the Cajuns slugger hit a deep sacrifice fly to left-center field which brought in Dalton.
With Kendall Talley at the plate, Roman stole third base while Boswell swiped second base on a bunt attempt. Talley drew a walk but Roman was caught in a rundown and was picked off for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, UL appeared poised to add to that lead.
Dalton drew a leadoff walk from LSU starting pitcher Maribeth Gorsuch and then stole second base. After back-to-back infield groundouts by Roman and Boswell, Kourtney Gremilion came to the plate pinch hitting for Mayeaux. Gremilion though would strike out looking to end the threat.
In the top of the fifth, LSU’s Cummins appeared to have struck out swinging but the first base umpire said that her swing did not go around. The very next pitch from Megan Kleist, Cummins hit a double hard to the wall in left field for a one-out double.
LSU’s Akiya Thymes then reached first on a ball hit hard to shortstop Dalton who was unable to scoop up the ball and make the throw in time to first. That gave the Tigers runners on first and second with only one out.
After a fielder’s choice, LSU had runners on the corners with two outs. Kleist though got pinch hitter Anna Jones to ground out to end the threat.
Kleist pitched well the next two innings, holding LSU scoreless, as UL picked up the 2-1 victory.
Big Number: 11
The win over LSU on Saturday was UL’s 11th in 26 games and first since the Ragin’ Cajuns defeated the Tigers 5-4 in 10 innings in the first game of the 2018 Baton Rouge NCAA Regional. UL is now 11-15 overall against LSU.
Player of the Game: Megan Kleist
The All-American transfer from Oregon was sensational against LSU’s lineup. Kleist scattered three hits, one run (unearned), while striking out five and forcing the Tigers to hit ground balls. The win was Kleist’s third of the season.
Next Up: UL will take on LSU again on Sunday at Tiger Park. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.