BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – No. 12/14 LSU beat Louisiana Tech, 6-2 behind a four-run fourth inning and a strong effort from freshman pitcher Sydney Berzon where she retired 10 of the 11 batters she faced Saturday evening at Tiger Park.
“We did a good job of making adjustments throughout,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “We were able to change pitcher to pitcher and still create pressure. We did a good job getting the leadoff hitter on and scoring runs throughout the game.”
Berzon earned the win as she threw four strikeouts and allowed no hits or runs in 3.2 innings of work. Berzon now ranks No. 11 in program history with 78 strikeouts as a freshman. Sarah KnifeChief ranks No. 10 with 81 strikeouts in 1997.
Graduate pitcher Ali Kilponen started the game for the Tigers, throwing one strikeout and allowing two runs on four hits in 3.1 innings.
Graduate infielder Karli Petty and junior infielder Danieca Coffey both went 2-for-3 from the dish. Petty and junior outfielder Ciara Briggs led the way with two RBIs each and Briggs finished with one hit and one run scored.
Louisiana Tech’s freshman pitcher Allie Floyd was charged with the loss Saturday where she allowed four runs on four hits and one walk in 1.2 innings pitched.
With runners on second and third with two outs in the first, Petty put the Tigers on the board with a two-run single to right field. LA Tech answered with a solo home run in the top of the second to cut into the Tigers’ lead, 2-1.
The Lady Techsters added another run in the top of the fourth to even the score at two, but LSU responded in the home half with four runs to stretch its lead to 6-2. Sophomore outfielder McKenzie Redoutey got things started with a one-run single, and graduate outfielder Savannah Stewart brought her home after hitting an RBI triple off the wall. Two batters later Briggs drove in two more runs for the Tigers on a single to left field that capped the big inning.
After allowing the first batter to reach on a fielder’s choice, Berzon retired the final 10 batters of the game to seal the 6-2 win.
On Deck
The Tigers will conclude the Purple and Gold Challenge with a noon contest against NC State Sunday at 12 p.m.
(LSU Athletics Press Release)
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