Tiger Rag News Services
The No. 16 LSU softball team run-ruled Illinois and Lamar on Sunday afternoon to close the Tiger Classic at Tiger Park in Baton Rouge.
Game One
LSU (6-0) recorded its second consecutive run-rule victory by defeating Illinois, 9-1 in five innings on Sunday afternoon at Tiger Park.
LSU had five hits and stole nine bases, tying the program’s second most and most since tallying 10 against Nicholls on Feb. 16, 2008. Kylee Edwards, Tori Edwards, and Alix Franklin each stole two bases.
Illinois will leave Baton Rouge 0-5, but logged seven hits in the game.
Starting pitcher Cece Cellura (1-0) gained her first win as an LSU Tiger. Cellura had one strikeout and allowed five hits in 4.0 innings.
T. Edwards went 2-for-2 with her first home run of the season, four RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk.
Illinois pitcher Christina Crawford (0-1) was handed her first loss of the season after recording three strikeouts, giving up five runs on three hits, and walking four batters.
LSU loaded the bases in the first inning with a leadoff hit by outfielder Jalia Lassiter and walks from infielder Sierra Daniel and catcher Maci Bergeron. A wild pitch scored Lassiter, and T. Edwards singled to right to drive in another run, giving LSU a 2-0 lead after the first.
The Tigers built a 7-0 lead with big innings in the second and third. T. Edwards launched a three-run homer in the second, while LSU added two more in the third, highlighted by a double steal that included K. Edwards stealing home after reaching on an error.
After LSU turned its third double play of the season to end the top of the fourth, Bergeron led off the inning with a single and was pinch-run for by utility player Destiny Harris. After T. Edwards drew a walk, Harris and T. Edwards found themselves in scoring position due to a wild pitch. Harris scored on infielder Ally Hutchins’ sacrifice fly, and T. Edwards scored on utility player Maddox McKee’s RBI groundout for the 9-0 lead.
Game Two
Pitchers Tatum Clopton and Ashlin Mowery combined for a shutout as No. 16 LSU concluded the 2026 Tiger Classic with a five-inning 8-0 victory over Lamar on Sunday evening at Tiger Park.
LSU turned in its third consecutive run-rule victory and second shutout over a three-game stretch to close the opening weekend. Lamar (2-3) suffered a pair of shutouts on the final day of the Tiger Classic.
Clopton (2-0) retired her first five batters of the game and ultimately retired 12 of the 13 batters she faced. Clopton earned the win after striking out three batters and surrendering only one hit in 4.0 innings. In 8.2 innings pitched over two appearances this weekend, Clopton had nine strikeouts and gave up two hits and two walks, holding opposing batters to a .074 average.
Mowery made her collegiate debut in the circle, recording the final three outs for the Tigers, and had one strikeout.
Seven LSU Tigers were responsible for nine hits in the win, led by infielder Sierra Daniel (2-for-2) and outfielder Jalia Lassiter (2-for-3), who both had two hits, two runs and two RBI. Infielder Tori Edwards led the team with three RBI after hitting her second three-run home run in as many games.
Lamar’s pitcher, Kaylee Cuevas (0-1), was given the loss. Cuevas had two strikeouts but relinquished four runs on five hits and walked four batters in the first 2.1 innings.
“I saw a lot of good things from a lot of different people,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “We still have a lot to learn, but we set the bar really high for what we’re capable of. It’s nice to have another team on the field, so we can get some film of things we can do better. There are ways we need to keep growing.”
Lassiter opened the game with a leadoff double, stole third, and came home on Daniel’s sacrifice fly for the early 1-0 lead after the first inning. Both teams were scoreless in the second, but in the third frame, T. Edwards hit her second three-run dinger of the day, giving LSU a four-run margin.
Clopton continued to deal as she sent the Cardinals out in order in the top of the fourth, retiring her seventh consecutive batter to end her day. In the bottom half of the inning, Daniel roped a run-scoring triple to center field, and a bloop double by catcher Maci Bergeron scored Daniel to stretch the lead to 6-0.
Mowery entered the circle in the fifth inning, where she retired three of the four batters she faced, capped by her first career strikeout, and Lassiter ended the game in the home-half with a two-RBI triple to left field.
Up Next
LSU will travel to Clearwater, Fla., for the 2026 Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Feb. 12-15, where it will play five games during the four-day tournament.
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