LSU softball only undefeated team left after pair of wins on Sunday

There was a hint of jubilation coming from LSU’s postgame meeting after Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Louisiana Tech to complete a perfect weekend before a crowd of 2,321 at Tiger Park.

The No. 4 Tigers (19-0) went 6-0 in their own Purple and Gold Challenge — capped by a pair of grind-it-out games over McNeese (2-1) and Louisiana Tech — to become the nation’s only remaining undefeated team after UL upset previously unbeaten and No. 1 Oklahoma, 7-5.

“I think it’s cool,” LSU softball coach Beth Torina said. “I told the team they should celebrate it. It’s not about being the only undefeated team. It’s about putting together a really strong start, a really strong stretch of good games … cementing yourself in the top of this country for the rest of the season. Everybody’s 0-0 next weekend with (start of) SEC (play).”

LSU (19-0) opened Sunday with another tense matchup against McNeese, scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth for a 2-1 victory.

Sophomore pitcher Sydney Berzon (6-0) threw her fifth complete game of the season, allowing four hits and striking out seven with no walks.

“We’ve always persevered no matter what,” said LSU sophomore catcher/designated player Maci Bergeron, who supported Kelley Lynch’s two-hit shutout against La. Tech with a two-run single in the sixth. “Even when we’re down, we always find a way. Also, our pitching’s always keeps us in the game.”

Torina said she wasn’t prepared to make an announcement on the status of senior third baseman Danieca Coffey who had an MRI on her left knee but hadn’t received the results. Coffey was on crutches and not in uniform a day after a collision in Saturday’s 3-1 win over San Diego State.

Washington transfer Kelley Lynch (3-0) followed Berzon’s masterful performance with her second shutout of the season. She yielded a pair of singles, didn’t allow a base runner past second, walked one and struck out seven.

“I told our hitters that I was going to have their backs, I know you guys are going to come through.” Lynch said. “Until something happens, I have you guys. It’s just a waiting game for me.”

LSU had two hits off Louisiana Tech starting pitcher Brook Melnychuck (5-3) until Taylor Pleasants (2 for 3) and Raeleen Gutierrez (2 for 3) both singled with one out in the sixth. Relief pitcher Allie Floyd came on to strike out McKenzie Redoutey for the second out before Bergeron dropped a ball into right field that a diving Alannah Rogers trapped, enabling pinch-runners Maia Townsend and Savanna Bedell to score.

The call was upheld by video review.

LSU answered McNeese’s run in the top of the fifth with two of its own in the bottom half for a 2-1 lead.

Four consecutive singles, including run-scoring hits from Pleasants and Gutierrez, resulted in Ciarra Briggs (2 for 3) scoring and Ali Newland added the go-ahead run, reaching home on Gutierrez’s infield single to deep shortstop.

Berzon carried a no-hitter into the fifth when first baseman Kelsey Gaspard doubled with one out over Newland’s head to the wall in left.

“We all hit the ball super hard this weekend straight at people,” Bergeron said. “It was the hits that maybe you wouldn’t have thought would win a game for us, did it for us.”