Newland Leads No. 3 LSU in Series Clinching Win Over No. 23 Kentucky, 4-3
Senior outfielder Ali Newland led LSU in series clinching victory over Kentucky with a game-sealing RBI single in the seventh inning. The Tigers' offense registered their ninth game with double digit hits, led by Newland's two hits and two RBIs.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Senior outfielder Ali Newland drove in the game-winning run in the seventh inning as No. 3 LSU wins its SEC opening series with a 4-3 decision over No. 21/23 Kentucky Saturday night at John Cropp Stadium.
LSU improves to 21-0 and 2-0 in the SEC, while Kentucky falls to 14-6 and 0-2 in league play.
Pitcher Raelin Chaffin (7-0) is the pitcher of record after throwing the final 1.1 innings, but pitcher Kelley Lynch got the start in the circle and logged a season-high eight strikeouts. Lynch allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in 5.2 innings.
Kentucky pitcher Jaden Vickers (4-2) was charged with the loss, allowing ten hits and four runs while throwing four strikeouts on 111 total pitches in a complete game.
Newland went 2-for-4 at the plate with a game-high two RBIs and scored one run in the win. Second baseman Sierra Daniel and outfielder McKenzie Redoutey each had two hits for the second consecutive game.
With the score knotted 3-3 in the seventh inning and one out on the board, Daniel singled to second and advanced a base due to a throwing error. After another out was recorded, Newland lobbed a ball into right field to score Daniel and give the Tigers the 4-3 lead.
The Tigers jumped out to a gracious 2-0 lead after recording three hits, and the Wildcats committed three errors in the top of the first. LSU touched home plate on RBI singles from Newland and first baseman Raeleen Gutierrez, respectively, and held a 2-1 lead after Kentucky scored one run in the bottom half of the inning.
The Wildcats evened the game in the third with a solo shot from designated player Ally Hutchins, but Lynch stopped the bleeding by striking out the final two batters of the frame.
After a pair of innings with no score, LSU broke the tie in the top of the sixth with a run-scoring single off catcher Maci Bergeron’s bat, but Kentucky responded in the home half courtesy of a fielding error to tie the game again, 3-3.
With bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, Chaffin took over in the circle and ended the threat, retiring the last batter in the inning. Chaffin secured the win for the Tigers by retiring four of five batters faced in the seventh and gave up one walk.
Up Next
The series finale between LSU and Kentucky will be at 11 a.m. CT and aired on SEC Network.
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