Offense Explodes as No. 12 LSU Sweeps Day Two of Purple and Gold Challenge
BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 12/14 LSU (29-6) used an eight-run inning in each game to sweep day two of the Purple and Gold Challenge at Tiger Park on Friday. LSU shutout NC State (12-22),12-0 and defeated BYU (16-9), 10-2 , both in five innings.
“It was good, I liked what the offense did today,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “The offense did a good job continuing to apply pressure throughout the game. We scored in big numbers, so you always like to see that. Overall, it was a good day for the offense.”
As a team, LSU registered 10 hits to log its 13th game with double digit hits this season in the early game against NC State and the two run-rule games brings the Tigers’ total to 10 on the year.
Overall on the day, the Tigers had a .429 batting average and scored 22 runs on 18 hits. In the circle LSU finished with a 1.40 ERA in 10.0 innings pitched highlighted by one shutout.
Freshman pitcher Alea Johnson earned her second shutout of the season and improved to 6-0 in the 12-0 win over NC State. Sophomore pitcher Ralin Chaffin moved to 4-1 this season and matched her season-high four strikeouts in the nightcap against BYU.
Junior outfielder Ciara Briggs had a team-high four hits on the day and tacked on four RBIs after hitting her second grand slam this season. Junior infielder Raeleen Gutierrez recorded a team-high five RBIs and matched graduate infielder Karli Petty with three hits. Petty also finished with two RBIs. Graduate designated player Georgia Clark went 2-for-3 at the plate and had four ribbies, and sophomore outfielder McKenzie Redoutey tallied three RBIs on two hits. Both Clark and Redoutey led the day with a .667 batting average.
Game One
Freshman pitcher Alea Johnson (6-0) stayed perfect in the circle and threw her second shutout of the season in game one. In 4.0 innings, Johnson struck out four batters and allowed no runs on three hits and one walk.
Four Tigers finished with two hits, including Clark, Petty, Briggs and Gutierrez. Clark matched a season high four RBIs while going 2-for-2 at the plate, and Gutierrez and Redoutey each had two RBIs in the win.
NC State’s pitcher Rylee Wyman (1-7) was charged with the loss and allowed four runs on four hits and one walk in her one inning of play. The Wolfpack hit the bullpen early with three other pitchers on the mound who surrendered the remaining eight runs and six hits.
The Tigers came out the gates scoring four runs on four hits in the opening inning. Junior infielder Danieca Coffey walked and Briggs singled before a fielder’s choice left LSU with runners on the corners. Clark lined a two-run single to right center and a couple batters later, Gutierrez drove a double to right field that scored Clark. The Tigers capped the first inning with an RBI groundout from junior infielder Taylor Pleasants to take an early 4-0 lead.
LSU blew the game open with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. The inning was highlighted by two-run singles from Clark and Redoutey. Gutierrez and Petty tacked on one-run singles, and freshmen catcher Maci Bergeron and outfielder Maia Townsend each added an RBI. An error by the Wolfpack crossed another run for the Tigers to give the home team a 12-0 lead heading to the fifth inning.
Freshman utility pitcher Emma Strood finished off the game in the fifth inning. After letting the lead off runner on with a single, Strood and the Tigers’ defense retired the next three batters to seal the run-rule game.
Game Two
Chaffin (4-1) collected her fourth win of the season in the nightcap. She matched a season-high four strikeouts and allowed two runs, six hits and two walks in 5.0 innings of work.
Briggs highlighted the offense by going 2-for-3 from the plate with four RBIs, all of which came off a second innings grand slam. Gutierrez had her second game of the day with multiple RBIs, tacking on three more ribbies while Petty went 1-for-2 with two RBIs to round out the Tigers with multiple RBIs.
BYU’s pitcher Chloe Temples picked up the loss after throwing two strikeouts while allowing eight runs on six hits and two walks in 1.1 innings pitched.
Gutierrez led off the second by reaching on an error, Pleasants singled and Redoutey hit an RBI single and advanced to second on a throw. Coffey was walked to load the bases and Briggs busted the inning open with her second grand slam of the season. A few batters later, Petty stepped in the box and launched a two-run triple to right field and the Tigers concluded the eight-run inning with a sac fly by Gutierrez.
BYU scored two runners in the third behind a one-run single and one-run double, but LSU answered in the fourth inning with a two-run double from Gutierrez to increase the home team’s margin, 10-2.
Chaffin came out in the top of the fifth and retired three of the last four batters, including a strikeout to secure the second run-rule of the day.
On Deck
The Tigers will battle with Louisiana Tech at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
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