No. 1 Tennessee Hits Walk-Off 3-Run HR To Complete Sweep Over No. 17 LSU

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

No. 1 Tennessee completed a series sweep over No. 17 LSU after right fielder Gabby Leach hit a walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure an 8-5 win Sunday afternoon at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium in Knoxville.

E7 | GABBY LEACH WALK OFF

📺 SECN
📲https://t.co/2pCziJ4wRG

lady vols 8, tigers 5 pic.twitter.com/npMg2PVUKD

— Tennessee Softball (@Vol_Softball) March 8, 2026

Sophomore Jayden Heavener (6-4) was charged with the loss after surrendering eight runs on eight hits in 6.2 innings of work. She also walked five batters and struck out four.

Heavener walked the leadoff batter in the bottom of the seventh before allowing a single to put runners on first and second with one out. The Tigers recorded the second out after getting the lead runner at third on a fielder’s choice, but Leach then launched a ball over the right-field fence to keep the Lady Vols perfect on the season.

LSU dropped to 17-6 overall and 0-3 in Southeastern Conference play, while Tennessee improved to 22-0 and 3-0 in the SEC.

LSU went down in order in the top of the seventh.

In the top of the sixth, the Tigers loaded the bases after drawing three straight walks and tied the game at 5-5 when senior catcher Maci Bergeron drove in a run with the fourth consecutive walk.

Tennessee had previously tied the game at 4-4 when second baseman Ella Dodge homered to right field. The Lady Vols then took the lead when third baseman Maddi Rutan drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4.

Tennessee’s rally began in the bottom of the fourth inning when Heavener allowed a single and a walk before first baseman Emma Clarke hit a three-run home run to cut LSU’s lead to 4-3.

Freshman right fielder Rylie Johnson broke the tie in the top of the third inning, launching a solo home run to right field to give LSU a 1-0 lead. It was Johnson’s first collegiate home run and her second hit of the season.

RYLIE GOES BYE BYE! 💥@ryliej2025's FIRST CAREER HOMER GOES SOARIN' OVER THE RIGHT FIELD FENCE! 🥺 pic.twitter.com/PUrgnULYvY

— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 8, 2026

Senior infielder Avery Hodge kept the momentum going with a double to left-center field, and senior outfielder Jalia Lassiter followed with a two-run dinger to left-center field to extend the lead to 3-0. It was Lassiter’s third home run of the season and her second of the weekend.

OFF THE SCOREBOARD. JALIA LASSITER. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TrRWYDMMbv

— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 8, 2026

Redshirt sophomore Char Lorenz later reached on a fielding error and eventually scored when sophomore first baseman Tori Edwards singled up the middle, extending LSU’s lead to 4-0.

In the CLUTCH 😎

Tori makes it 4-0 with a two-out LASER for an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/yb2DbA0qBr

— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) March 8, 2026

After LSU gave up 11 runs in yesterday’s loss, Heavener delivered the Tigers’ best start of the series in the circle. Through the first two innings, she struck out two and held the Lady Vols hitless.

Up Next

LSU will return to action on Tuesday, traveling to Thibodaux to face Nicholls (12–10, 2–1 Southland Conference) at Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park (6 p.m., ESPN+).