AUBURN, Ala. – LSU upset No. 1 seed Tennessee 2-1 Thursday night at Jane B. Moore Field behind a gem from pitchers Kelley Lynch and Sydney Berzon after a seven-hour weather delay. For the first time since 2017, LSU will advance to the semifinals of the 2024 SEC Tournament.
LSU moves to 40-14 this season, while Tennessee drops to 40-10. The Tigers have reached 40 or more wins in a single season nine times under Head Coach Beth Torina and have done so in two consecutive seasons.
Utility pitcher Kelley Lynch dazzled in the circle for 4.2 innings as she moved to 8-2 after fanning five batters. Lynch allowed one run on five hits with three walks as the starter.
Berzon came in relief to record the last out of the fifth inning and ultimately finished with three strikeouts. She allowed one hit to secure her fourth save of the season after tossing 2.1 innings. Berzon is now tied for second all-time in program history with four saves in a season with Britni Sneed (1999, 2000) and Sarah KnifeChiefe (1998) and is tied at No. 5 all-time with seven career saves with Allie Walljasper (2015-2018) and Kristin Schmidt (2002-2004).
Pitcher Karlyn Pickens (19-6) is charged with the loss, allowing one run on four hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Six Tigers accounted for hits against the Lady Vols, highlighted by Ali Newland’s 2-for-3 outing with one RBI. Shortstop Taylor Pleasants’ lone hit scored LSU’s final run in the fifth inning.
Designated player Sierra Daniel, outfielder Ciara Briggs, and Pleasants got free passes to load the bases. Newland plated Daniel with a single up the middle in the first inning, giving LSU a 1-0 lead.
Both clubs scored a run in the fifth inning. Pleasants’ two-out RBI single in the top of the inning increased the Tigers’ lead to 2-0, but the Lady Vols responded with a run-scoring single from catcher Sophia Nugent to make it a one-run game through five frames.
The LSU defense retired seven of the final eight batters, holding off the Lady Vols’ threats in the fifth and seventh innings. Berzon recorded a strikeout in the final three innings she appeared in.
Up Next
LSU will play the winner between No. 4 seed Arkansas and No. 5 seed Missouri in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Friday on ESPN2.