LSU softball drops second in a row to visiting Tennessee Volunteers

LSU softball drops second in a row to visiting Tennessee Volunteers
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Absent its top hitter, LSU softball struggled at the plate Saturday evening in Tiger Park, losing 3-0 to Tennessee.

The Vols’ pitching shutout the Tigers for the second straight game, this time with freshman right-hander Karlyn Pickens. No. 10 LSU (23-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) struck out nine times, recording only one hit and two walks. The Tigers’ first hit didn’t arrive until the fourth inning, when Ciara Briggs bounced a grounder into left-center field, giving the Tigers what turned out to be their best shot at scoring.

But LSU stranded both Briggs and designated hitter Georgia Clark. A few clutch defensive plays kept the Tennessee (23-1, 5-0) lead within reach. But the hitting troubles persisted, and the Tigers couldn’t overcome a three-run deficit.

“It’s crazy velocity,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “It’s things I’ve never seen in the game. For two weeks in a row here, we’ve got people throwing consistently in the low 70s. I’ve really never seen that. It’s pretty cool for our sport that these women are becoming this talented and capable of these things.”

Torina gave Sydney Berzon the start. The freshman pitched well but not before allowing a single, a two-run homer and a line-drive double in the first inning. Tennessee capitalized with three runs, and Berzon finished her seven-inning day allowing seven hits and striking out four.

“I thought (Berzon) did a good job of understanding the strike zone after that (first inning), of really commanding the zone,” Torina said. “She’s learning all the time, so as long as she’s continuing to learn and we’re getting better every time she goes out, we’re in good shape.”

Freshman McKaela Walker got her third start of the season in place of Taylor Pleasants, LSU’s best hitter whom Torina said is day-to-day with a core muscle injury. Karli Petty moved over to shortstop, Walker slotted in at second base and Ali Newland switched to catcher. Torina also subbed out Macy Bergeron for Savannah Stewart, who took Newland’s place in left field.

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Mary founded Scoop Tour with an aim to bring relevant and unaltered news to the general public with a specific view point for each story catered by the team. She is a proficient journalist who holds a reputable portfolio with proficiency in content analysis and research. With ample knowledge about the Automobile industry, she also contributes her knowledge for the Automobile section of the website.

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