No. 12 LSU Rally Comes up Short in 5-3 Loss Versus No. 22 Duke

CLEARWATER, Fla. – No. 12/10 LSU brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the seventh inning but fell 5-3 to No. 22/19 Duke at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.

LSU is now 7-2, while Duke improves to 6-1 after two Top 15 wins on the day.

Entering the bottom of the seventh down 5-3, Jalia Lassiter led off the inning with a double to right center field, and Sierra Daniel drew a walk to bring the go-ahead run to the plate with no outs. Duke retired the next three batters, however, to seal its second win of the day.

Jayden Heavener (2-2) registered five strikeouts and gave up 10 hits, five runs, and four walks. It was her third complete game of the season.

Lassiter led the Tigers with a 3-for-4 performance, including two extra-base hits and one run. The bottom of the lineup produced LSU’s other three hits: Alix Franklin’s first career home run and singles from Kylee Edwards and Avery Hodge.

Duke’s pitcher Cassidy Curd (3-0) tossed her second complete game of the season, striking out three while giving up six hits, three runs, and five walks.

Duke plated two runs on four hits in the top of the first inning, but a leadoff triple by Lassiter and three walks cut the deficit to 2-1 after the opening inning.

Duke added two in the second and one in the fourth for a 5-1 lead. The Tigers answered in the fourth with Franklin’s solo homer and Daniel’s RBI groundout, making it 5-3, the final score.

Up Next
LSU faces UCF at 9 a.m. CT, Friday, Feb. 14, on SEC Network.

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