BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 4/5 LSU defeated Minnesota 10-2 in five innings Sunday afternoon at Tiger Park to sweep through the LSU Round Robin.
LSU (23-1) picked up its third consecutive five-inning run-rule victory and second against Minnesota (11-12). The Tigers are now on a three-game winning streak when playing the Golden Gophers.
The Fighting Tigers continue to swing the bat well, collecting 12 hits to score 10 runs. LSU has recorded 13 games with double-digit hits this season, including two this weekend. All nine starters for the Tigers reached base safely, including four players with two hits.
“The offense put down a bunch of words on what they wanted to be,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “One of the words was suffocating, and I think we’ve done a good job applying pressure in all ways. Whether it’s a big swing or a bunt, they’ve applied consistent pressure well. Today, we did it against a really good arm. The starter from Minnesota is really good. It’s nice to see us live up to that against a good arm.”
Infielder Avery Hodge was 2-for-3, highlighted by her second triple in as many games, and had two RBI and scored two runs. Hodge recorded multiple hits in every game of the LSU Round Robin. Catcher Maci Bergeron (2-for-2, RBI), infielder Sierra Daniel (2-for-2, three runs), and outfielder Jalia Lassiter (2-for-4, RBI) also had multi-hit games in Sunday’s finale.
Pitcher Sydney Berzon (9-0) threw her ninth complete game this season, working 5.0 innings with three strikeouts and allowing 10 hits, two runs, and one walk.
Minnesota’s starting pitcher Sydney Schwartz (3-7) received the loss. Schwarts also struck out three and walked one batter but gave up five runs on six hits in the first two innings.
The Tigers had three base knocks in the first inning, including outfielder McKenzie Redoutey’s sharp liner through the right side to drive in a pair of runs for an early 2-0 lead.
After Berzon struck out the side in the top of the second, LSU scored another three runs on two hits and capitalized on one UMN error in the bottom half-inning. Daniel scored from first base on a throwing error, infielder Danieca Coffey hit a run-scoring double, and Bergeron added an RBI single to bump LSU’s lead to 5-0.
The Golden Gophers’ pitchers struggled to find the strike zone in the third inning as LSU added two runs on designated player McKaela Walker’s hit by pitch, and Coffey walked in a run. LSU totaled two HBP and two walks in the frame.
Minnesota’s designated player, Taylor Krapf, hit a leadoff solo shot to left field to put UMN on the board in the fourth, and infielder Kayla Chavez hit an RBI single down the left field line in the fifth to pull within five runs at 7-2. However, LSU scored three runs on four hits and no outs to put the game on ice in the fifth. Daniel and Walker singled before Hodge tripled to left center field for another base-clearing hit. After Coffey drew a walk, Lasster singled to right to bring home Hodge and secure the run-rule victory, 10-2.
Up Next
LSU will play a midweek game against in-state rival UL Lafayette on Tuesday, March 11, at 6 p.m. CT at Tiger Park before entering SEC play.
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