KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – No. 7 LSU dropped the series opener at No. 4 Tennessee, 3-0 Friday night at Lee Stadium.
LSU is 34-9 this season, including a 10-9 mark in SEC play. Meanwhile, Tennessee moves to 33-7 on the year and 13-3 in league play.
Tennessee’s Pitcher Payton Gottshall (16-3) picked up the win after allowing two hits while throwing three strikeouts in 6.1 innings. Pitcher Karlyn Pickens earned her first save this season with a pair of strikeouts.
Pitcher Sydney Berzon (15-5) received the loss. She threw four strikeouts in 6.0 innings and allowed three hits, three runs, all unearned, and one walk.
The game opened with three scoreless innings before Tennessee crossed three runs in the fourth frame behind three hits and a couple of LSU errors. Following the Lady Vols’ runs, Berzon and the LSU defense retired the last seven Tennessee batters faced.
Outfielders Ciara Briggs and Ali Newland recorded back-to-back singles in the seventh inning, bringing the game-tying run to the plate with one out. However, Pickens struck out the two batters she faced to seal the series-opening win.
Up Next
Game two of the LSU-Tennessee series will be at 11 a.m. CT Saturday.