No. 13 LSU softball unable to put brakes on Auburn’s offense in 9-5 league setback

LSU shortstop Taylor Pleasants makes a catch during Saturday's game which visiting Auburn won, 9-5. Photo courtesy of LSU athletics.

Auburn’s softball team came to Baton Rouge this weekend for a three-game series sporting the worst batting average in the SEC and the visitors had just three hits in LSU’s 2-1 win in the series opener Friday.

But in Saturday’s game two, Auburn unloaded with 10 hits in a 9-5 victory before a crowd of 1,829 at Tiger Park. AU matched its most runs scored in nearly two months.

Auburn (27-20, 7-16) snapped a scoreless tie with three runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run homer from Makayla Packer, and padded its lead with four more runs in the fifth for 7-2 advantage.

No. 13 LSU (30-18, 12-11 in SEC) got as close as 3-2 in the fourth inning on Georgia Clark’s two-run homer, her eighth of the season, knocking Auburn starter Maddie Penta from the game. Shelbi Sunseri came within inches of tying the game with a deep drive to center field that was caught at the edge of the fence.

Auburn batted around in the fifth with four runs on four hits off two LSU pitchers. AU third baseman Maddison Koepke delivered a key run-scoring triple off LSU reliever Ali Kilponen, who lasted two-thirds of an inning in relief of starter Maribeth Gorsuch (2-3). Kilponen was responsible for allowing four runs (three earned) on three hits before Shelby Wickersham finished up the remainder of the way.

LSU, which also had 10 hits but three errors, scored twice in the sixth to make it 7-4 on Raeleen Gutierrez’s fielder’s choice groundout and Morgan Cummins’ RBI-single through the left side.

Taylor Pleasants went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead LSU, while Amanda Doyle added three hits. Clark had three hits including a double to go with her homer and two RBIs.

The teams play the final game of the series and the final game of the regular season Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Tiger Park. The game will be streamed on SECN + and broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network (107.3 FM in Baton Rouge).

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