LSU softball’s best chance to defeat Tennessee arrived Sunday afternoon by a stroke of luck. But to win, the Tigers needed something more.
LSU scored their first two runs of the three-game series in the fourth inning — not with a home run or a deep line drive or even a base hit, but with a routine pop-up. With two outs, Tennessee infielders let McKaela Walker’s hit drop into shallow left field, gifting LSU two runs and a chance to take the lead.
Instead, LSU couldn’t notch a hit the rest of the way and the Vols scored three runs in the top of the sixth and three more in the top of the seventh to secure a 9-2 win and a series sweep. In 70 at-bats across the three games, the Tigers recorded only six hits.
“I think having one of (Tennessee’s) arms would be tough,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “Having three of those arms is a really huge task to try to wrap your head around in one weekend. I think the one saving grace is that they’re going to do this to a lot of people, in this conference, in this country.”
If not for their fourth-inning mistake in left field, Tennessee (24-1, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) would’ve shut out LSU (23-5, 2-4) across all three games. The Tiger batters recorded only three hits on Sunday — the pop-up by Walker, a leadoff triple by Danieca Coffey and a base hit by Savannah Stewart.
After two solid outings, LSU’s pitchers took a step back. On Sunday, the three combined to allow 11 hits, five walks and six earned runs. LSU ace Ali Kilponen was given the loss after she allowed five hits, five earned runs and four walks in five innings of work. Torina pulled Kilponen after Tennessee first baseman McKenna Gibson blasted a solo home run over the left-field wall and Giulia Koutsoyanopulos slapped a single.
But Kilponen’s replacement, freshman Sydney Berzon, lasted only 1⅓ innings. Torina swapped her for Raelin Chaffin after Koutsoyanopulos cranked a three-run homer to left-center.
The Lady Vols also cycled through three pitchers. But their rotation of Payton Gottshall, Karlyn Pickens and Ashley Rogers combined to strike out 10 and walked only four of the 30 batters they faced.
“It wasn’t our weekend,” Torina said. “We didn’t match up well against them. I don’t know who will match up well against them. They’re really talented and their pitching staff is pretty incredible. They’re going to be tough to beat and it wasn’t our weekend to do it.”
LSU has a home game against McNeese State at 6 p.m. Tuesday before it travels to Oxford, Mississippi, for a three-game series against Ole Miss (18-12, 0-3).
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