BATON ROUGE, La. – In a thrilling encounter that kept fans on the edge of their seats, LSU fell short in a dramatic showdown with Southeastern Louisiana, losing 8-7 and concluding their regional run at Tiger Park on Saturday night. The Tigers fought valiantly, managing to tie the game three separate times, but ultimately couldn’t complete the comeback.
With this defeat, LSU wraps up the season with a commendable record of 42-16, while Southeastern Louisiana continues its impressive stretch, improving to an impressive 50-15.
Sydney Berzon, who took the mound in relief during the fifth inning, was saddled with the loss after a brief stint where she surrendered one run on three hits, alongside a walk, over 1.1 innings. On the opposing side, Southeastern’s Britney Lewinski earned the win, allowing only one run on one hit while walking one batter in her 1.1 innings of work.
The hitting stats were even, with both teams recording eight hits throughout the contest. LSU’s offensive efforts were highlighted by a trio of players who delivered multiple hits. Outfielder Jalia Lassiter stood out, going 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBI. She was joined by fellow outfielders Jadyn Laneaux (2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBI) and McKenzie Redoutey (2-for-2, 2 runs, 1 walk) in driving the offensive charge.
The game started off with a spark as infielder Danieca Coffey opened with a leadoff single, advancing to third on an error by the left fielder. Lassiter then came through with a clutch run-scoring single, giving LSU an early lead. However, Southeastern quickly countered, taking control in the first inning and plating four unearned runs without a hit, putting them ahead 4-1.
The Tigers didn’t buckle under pressure. After two quiet innings, they surged back in the fourth with three runs. Consecutive RBI singles from Sierra Daniel and Lassiter propelled LSU, capped off by a wild pitch that brought Daniel home, leveling the score at 4-4.
Southeastern regained the advantage in the fifth, capitalizing on an LSU error to put two more runs on the board, pushing the lead to 6-4. Yet, LSU wasn’t done fighting. In the top of the sixth, Laneaux reached base on a throwing error and Avery Hodge got hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Lassiter to deliver a game-tying two-run double, electrifying the crowd at Tiger Park.
As the tension built entering the seventh, SLU managed to regain the lead with an RBI single from Brilee Ford, but the Tigers were resilient. Redoutey took a hit-by-pitch to start the inning, and just a couple of batters later, Laneaux tied the game again with a single down the left field line, making it 7-7.
However, the bottom of the seventh proved to be a heartbreaker for LSU. With Southeastern loading the bases and no outs, a fielder’s choice allowed a baserunner to beat the throw at home, sealing the victory for the Lions and marking the end of LSU’s season.
Though the outcome was disappointing, LSU demonstrated their fighting spirit and skill throughout the game, leaving fans optimistic for what the future holds.
