LSU Softball: SLU Upsets LSU, 4-3, in NCAA Tournament First Round Game

Southeastern Louisiana (49-14) rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to pull off the upset and advance to the winner’s bracket of the Baton Rouge Regional, defeating LSU (41-15) 4-3 on Friday at Tiger Park.

With the score tied 3-3 in the seventh inning, Southeastern infielder Maria Detillier drew a two-out walk, and catcher Cydnee Schneider hit a long single to right-center field that scored Detillier, who beat the throw at home plate for the eventual game-winning run.

LSU suffers its first loss against Southeastern at home in the all-time series (19-1) and falls in the first regional game for the first time since 2022.

LSU pitcher Jayden Heavener (13-5) struck out four batters, allowed two earned runs on four hits, and walked five batters in 6.2 innings.

Southeastern relief pitcher Lainee Bailey tossed 4.2 innings of no-hit softball, surrendering three walks and had one strikeout.  

The Tigers outhit the Lions 7-3. No player for either club recorded multiple hits, but LSU outfielder Jalia Lassiter had a game-high two RBI and two walks.  

In the second inning, infielder Sierra Daniel hit a leadoff single to shallow left field. She stole second base, and designated player Maddox McKee and infielder Avery Hodge logged back-to-back singles to load the bases. Lassiter stepped to the plate and put LSU on the scoreboard with a two-run ground-rule double to left-center field, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

After shaking off the threat of runners in scoring position in the top of the third, the Tigers tacked on another run in the home half with a run-scoring single by outfielder Jadyn Laneaux to extend its lead to 3-0.

Southeastern responded in the fourth inning with three runs, two unearned, on one hit, tying the game on a wild pitch heading into the fifth frame, and after two scoreless innings, SLU took the lead on a well-struck gapper.

Lassiter opened the bottom of the seventh with a four-pitch walk, and Southeastern put infielder Tori Edwards the game-winning run on the base paths on a four-pitch walk as well with one out recorded. The SLU defense retired the next two batters to seal the game and advance to a noon CT matchup against Nebraska.

Up Next

LSU will face UConn in an elimination game tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. CT. UConn fell to Nebraska 10-2 in the Baton Rouge Regional opening game.