No. 6 LSU Keeps Hitting, Rallied its Way to Victories to Close the LSU Invitational 

BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 6 LSU scored nine unanswered runs in the 12-5 win over Southern Miss and 12 unanswered runs in the 12-2 run-rule victory over Nicholls to conclude a 4-0 weekend at the LSU Invitational on Saturday at Tiger Park.

With incoming inclement weather, day three of the LSU Invitational has been canceled.   

LSU, who played from behind in both games, improved to 14-0 on the season behind its hot bats, logging a .464 batting average on 26 hits and outscored its opponents 24-7 with 24 RBI. The Tigers tallied a season-high 14 hits against Southern Miss (4-10) and 12 hits against Nicholls (6-9), marking the seventh game in an eight-game stretch registering double-digit hits.

Outfielder Jalia Lassiter led the team in hits by going 5-for-8 at the plate (.625), scored a team-high six runs and had four RBI. Five other Tigers had three hits on the day, including infielder Danieca Coffey, who hit her first home run of the season, and utility player Tori Edwards, who smacked her second grand slam in the first three weeks of the 2025 season.

“I have been so impressed with the offense. I think Coach Bryce [Neal] has done a good job preparing them for all situations,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “Coach Sandra [Moton] has made them aggressive on the base path. I think the combination has just really been deadly.

“It was nice to see us fight back in different spots weather the storms today. I think we did a good job of finding ways and answers today. Maybe they were not some of our prettiest moments, but it takes what it takes. We found a way to get it done.”

LSU had a 4.08 ERA on the day, striking out 11 batters and surrendering 10 hits, seven runs and seven walks in 12.0 innings. Tatum Clopton kept her ERA at 0.00 on the season after tossing 3.1 innings of shutout softball against Southern Miss, Ashley Vallejo turned in her first complete game (5.0 innings) as an LSU Tiger against Nicholls, and Jayden Heavener had a staff-high six strikeouts in 3.2 innings against USM.

Game One

Clopton (3-0) came in relief against Southern Miss, shutting out the Golden Eagles for 3.1 innings, striking out four batters, and handing out two walks. Heavener started in the circle and had six strikeouts with just three hits relinquished but also walked four batters and earned five runs in 3.2 innings.

USM’s Kayla Gaiardina (1-2) was handed the loss after giving up the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. Gaiardina threw 1.2 innings, giving up four hits, four runs and three walks with no strikeouts.

Five LSU Tigers had two hits in the game, including Coffey and outfielder McKenzie Redoutey, who both had three RBI. The duo combined for three extra-base hits, and Coffey collected a career-high seven total bases with a triple and a home run.

Southern Miss got on the board with a three-run home run by catcher Kayce Bennett in the top of the second, but LSU answered with three runs. Infielder Avery Hodge hit an RBI single to get the Tigers on the board, and Coffey blasted her first home run of the season and sixth of her career to tie the game 3-3 after two stanzas.

The Golden Eagles scored a couple of two-out runs in the fourth, but again, LSU responded. After drawing two walks, catcher Maci Bergeron doubled to right field to drive in a run, Redoutey tied the game with a run-scoring single to left field, and utility player Maddox McKee’s RBI groundout gave the Tigers a 6-5 lead heading into the fifth.

USM threatened with two runners in scoring position with one out in the fifth, but Clopton froze consecutive batters to end the half-inning with no runs scored. It was all LSU from there after the Tigers plated three more runners in the bottom of the fifth and three in the sixth. Redoutey hit a two-run double in the fifth, Coffey hit an RBI triple in the sixth, and Lassiter had run-scoring singles in the fifth and sixth innings to highlight the Tigers’ nine unanswered runs in the 12-5 victory.

Game Two

Vallejo (2-0) overcame the cold and wet conditions and worked a complete 5.0 innings in the 12-2 win over Nicholls. Vallejo had one strikeout, allowing seven hits, two runs and one walk.

Nicholls starter Averi Paden (1-5) received the loss after giving up 12 runs on 11 hits with three walks and a strikeout in 2.2 innings.

Lasiter was 3-for-3 at the dish, scored three runs, and had two RBI, and Edwards finished 2-for-3 and hit her second grand slam of the season for a season-high five RBI.

Nicholls came out of the gates with two runs off a double from catcher Brynne Songy, but Lassiter and Redoutey made the score even at 2-2 after hitting RBI doubles in the first inning.

LSU scored four runs on three hits in the second inning to take a 6-2 lead thanks to Bergeron’s three-run double and Edwards’ RBI single. The Tigers busted the game open in the third with six runs capped by Edwards’ grand slam, her fourth homer of the season.

Up Next

LSU will travel for the first time this season to participate in the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., from Feb. 27 to March 1.

For the latest news and information on Tiger softball, visit www.lsusports.net/softball. Fans can follow the team on its social media outlets, such as www.facebook.com/lsusoftball and @lsusoftball, as well as on Instagram and X.