No. 20 LSU Softball Strikes Out 11 Times In 5-3 Loss To No. 17 Mississippi State

By ANDRE CHAMPAGNE, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter

The No. 20 LSU softball team struck out 11 times and only tallied five hits in its series-opening 5-3 loss to No. 17 Mississippi State on Friday night at Nusz Park.

LSU left 9 runners on in the frustrating defeat.

With the loss, the Tigers fall to 32-15 overall and 9-10 in SEC play, while the Bulldogs improve to 35-14 and 7-12 in conference action.

Sophomore pitcher Jayden Heavener (11-7) was charged with the loss after a rough 2.2-inning outing where she allowed three runs on four hits. She walked two and struck out one.

LSU senior infielder Avery Hodge opened the seventh inning with a single through the right side. Junior infielder Ally Hutchins followed with a double to center, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

After a groundout to first and a popout to second, Hodge came home on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.

The Tigers then loaded the bases on back-to-back walks, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in redshirt sophomore Tori Edwards.

Edwards drew a third straight walk to bring another run home and cut the deficit to 5-3. Senior catcher Maci Bergeron then stepped in with a chance to change the game but grounded out to second to end the game.

Mississippi State added a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth after a throwing error on junior shortstop Kylee Edwards made it 5-1.

Kylee Edwards was hit-by-pitch to lead off the top of the sixth. Later in the inning, a two-out single by Bergeron put runners on first and second, bringing up redshirt sophomore left fielder Char Lorenz. But the Tigers’ 11th strikeout of the day ended the threat.

After senior outfielder Jalia Lassiter’s RBI double in the third, the Tigers went cold at the plate. LSU struck out five times over the next two innings and failed to get runners on in either the fourth or fifth innings.

The Bulldogs reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the third after a two-out double and walk by Heavener came back to haunt her. She surrendered a three-run shot to deep left-center, giving Mississippi State a 3-1 lead and all the momentum. Senior pitcher Paytn Monticelli came on to relieve Heavener after she issued another walk.

Hodge led the top of the third off with a walk. One at-bat later, Lassiter broke the tie with an RBI double to left-center, scoring Hodge from first to make it 1-0.

DOUBLE DEALIN' AND WHEELIN' 🔥🛞

an @averyhodgee X @JaliaLassiter masterpiece pic.twitter.com/XO302oeA9Z

— LSU Softball (@LSUsoftball) April 24, 2026

Kylee Edwards reached first after being hit by a pitch which put runners on first and second with two outs, but the Tigers couldn’t capitalize as sophomore outfielder Alix Franklin struck out to end the threat.

Both teams went quiet in the second inning.

After Lassiter drew a leadoff walk, LSU was unable to capitalize in the top of the first. Heavener then allowed a leadoff double in the bottom half but worked out of trouble to keep the game tied 0-0 heading into the second inning.

Up Next

LSU looks to even up the series on Saturday at 2 p.m.