LSU Softball takes road series against Ole Miss

OXFORD, Miss. – No. 12/15 LSU (26-6, 4-5 SEC) takes the series against Ole Miss (19-14, 1-5 SEC) two games to one after winning game three, 3-1 Sunday afternoon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.

“I thought it was a good team win,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “We were firing on all cylinders. We had some really good offensive performances and a great performance on the mound. Our defense was stellar today as well.”

Freshman pitcher Sydney Berzon (9-2) earned her second complete game win in as many games Sunday afternoon. She recorded three strikeouts and allowed one run on five hits and one walk.

Junior infielder Raeleen Gutierrez had a day at the dish going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Junior infielder Danieca Coffey and junior outfielder Ali Newland also contributed two-hit performances and each scored one run. Graduate designated player Georgia Clark registered one hit and one RBI in the victory.

Ole Miss sophomore pitcher Catelyn Riley (2-2) picked up the loss after throwing six strikeouts while allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks in 7.0 innings.

The Tigers put runners on the corners to start the second stanza thanks to a double and single from Newland and graduate infielder Karli Petty, respectively. Gutierrez came to the plate and knocked an RBI single to center field to plate the first run of the game, but the Rebels answered with a run of their own to tie the score 1-1 through two innings.

The Tigers juiced the bases in the third inning to set up Gutierrez’s second one-run single of the game to recapture the lead for the visiting club, 2-1.

Berzon kept the Ole Miss bats at bay, retiring 13 of 16 batters from the second inning through the sixth.

LSU crossed an insurance run in the seventh on a fielder’s choice sac bunt from Clark to increase its lead, 3-1. With runners on the corners, the Tigers added an insurance run in the seventh on a fielder’s choice from graduate designated player Georgia Clark to increase the lead, 3-1. The Rebels would put a runner on in the seventh, but the Tigers turned a double play and a flyout to center field secured the 3-1 victory and series win for LSU.