STARKVILLE, Miss. – No. 20/15 LSU could not overcome a five-run first inning, dropping the series with a 5-2 loss to No. 17/19 Mississippi State on Saturday at Nusz Park.
LSU falls to 32-16 and 9-11 in the SEC. Mississippi State improves to 36-14 and 8-12 in conference play.
Cece Cellura moves to 6-5 in the circle after Saturday’s loss. Cellura finished with five strikeouts and allowed eight hits, four earned runs, and walked one batter. After a turbulent opening inning where the Bulldogs scored five runs on five hits, Cellura retired 15 of the final 19 batters she faced, recording four strikeouts and allowing just three hits and a walk.
Kylee Edwards recorded two of LSU’s seven hits for her 13th multi-hit game of the season. Sierra Daniel hit her third home run of the season and fifth of her career to account for one run, and Alix Franklin logged an RBI single.
MSU’s Peja Goold tossed her 12th complete game of the season and tallied 11 strikeouts. Goold gave up seven hits, two runs, and two walks. The Bulldogs’ pitching staff registered 11 strikeouts for the second consecutive game.
LSU got the scoring started in the top of the first inning with a solo blast by Daniel, but State barked back with five runs on five hits to build a 5-1 advantage, featuring Paige Ernstes’ second three-run shot of the series, and a two-run dinger by Xiane Romero.
The Tigers drew closer in the third with Franklin’s RBI single, making the score 5-2. LSU threatened with a runner in scoring position in the fourth, fifth, and sixth stanzas, but left them all stranded. LSU left five runners on base over the final four innings.
Up Next
The series finale between LSU and Mississippi State will be at 11 a.m. CT on Sunday.
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