BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU softball team put together a pair of multi-run innings, highlighted by a five-run fifth, to hold off the Warhawks, 7-5, Tuesday, March 30 at Tiger Park.
The Tigers (19-11) scored their seven runs on four hits while ULM countered with five runs on five hits in the contest. The five runs by ULM mark the most versus a Southeastern Conference program since they notched five at Mississippi State in 2009.
Two of ULM's five hits came from
Kennedy Johnson, who finished 2-for-3 from the plate with a double and a run scored. Warhawk starter
Adrianna Chavarria (1-4) tossed 1 1/3 innings and allowed four runs with three walks.
Murphy Williams and
Gianni Hulett both tossed two innings for the Warhawks, surrendering just three hits and three runs.
All four LSU hits came from different sources in the game. Aliyah Andrews led the way at the plate, finishing 1-for-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Amanda Doyle, who was 1-for-4, was responsible for two RBIs. Ali Kilponen (6-4) brought home the victory, striking out three Warhawks and allowing two runs in 3 2/3 innings in the circle.
Trailing 7-3 heading into the top of the seventh, ULM's
Andie Edwards drew a one-out walk to put a runner on base.
Jayden Mount followed with a single to right field, moving Edwards into scoring position at second.
Two batters later, Johnson kept the inning alive with a single up the middle, loading the bases for
Kennedy Page. Page reached on a fielder's choice at short, scoring Edwards on a throwing error and Mount in the process as the Warhawks trimmed the margin to two, 7-5. The threat ended on a fly ball to centerfield by
Madison Blount.
After a scoreless first inning by both teams, LSU assumed a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second, which began with a leadoff home run to left field by Georgia Clark. Andrews was responsible for the second Tiger run of the contest, drawing a bases loaded walk that plated Raeleen Gutierrez.
The third run of the inning crossed the plate in similar fashion, following a walk by Taylor Pleasants. Amanda Doyle delivered a single up the middle, advancing to second on the throw, as both Andrews and Taylor Tidwell scored to make for the 5-0 advantage.
ULM sliced into the Tiger lead with a 3-run fourth, which began with a double down the line by Johnson. With one out and the bases load,
Caley McGuff singled back to the pitcher allowing both
Kelsey Giddens and Page to score in succession. The final Warhawk run of the game came on a sacrifice fly to left that plated
Kelsey Giddens from third.
Andrews provided LSU with a pair of insurance runs in the fifth with a single down the left field line that scored both Hayden Brown and Tidwell, stretching the Tigers' lead to 7-3.
The Warhawks return to Sun Belt Conference play this weekend when they host UT Arlington in a three-game series that begins on Friday, April 2, with games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The final game of the series with UT Arlington is set for Saturday, April 3, at 12 p.m.
