LSU vs. ULL NCAA Softball Regional Championship

LSU softball graduate student pitcher Ali Kilponen (2) cries Sunday, May 21, 2023, after LSU’s double loss against ULL in the NCAA Softball Regionals Championship at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, La.

 Morgan Cook

LSU softball’s rally fell short in its 9-8 regional final loss to ULL, finishing the season 42-17.

LSU starting pitcher Sydney Berzon started the game poorly, having trouble with walking batters, and LSU quickly fell behind 2-0 in the first inning. ULL outfielder Jourdyn Campbell then hit a grand slam off Berzon to make it a 6-0 deficit for the Tigers heading into the bottom of the first inning.

Georgia Clark was the star of LSU’s comeback. She finished the game with 3 RBI and brought LSU one run closer with a solo home run in the bottom of the second, but the rally really kicked off in the bottom of the third for the Tigers. 

Two errors and a Taylor Pleasants single allowed LSU to score one. Clark then singled to score two more runners. McKenzie Redoutey followed that up with a double that scored two more runners and tied the game at 6-6 after ULL walked catcher, Ali Newland. 

Second baseman Karli Petty completed the comeback with an RBI single that gave LSU a 7-6. Another RBI single from Pleasants meant the Tigers had erased entirely any thought of the first-inning struggles and now led 8-6.

However, it was soon time for ULL to mount a comeback of its own. A Karly Heath solo home run in the top of the fifth brought ULL one run closer before a dramatic ending in the seventh inning ended LSU’s season. 

Trailing 7-8, ULL hit two singles to put the winning runs on base. A wild pitch on an attempted intentional walk scored the tying run for ULL. Then, a Campbell single scored the go-ahead, giving ULL a 9-8 lead.  Campbell finished the game with 5 RBI. 

A two-out single from first baseman Raeleen Gutierrez gave LSU some hope and put the tying run on base, but a flyout into foul territory saw both the game and LSU’s season come to an end.  

LSU failed to reach the super regionals for the second year in a row after previously making it to six super regionals in a row. 

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