Minneapolis, Minn. — The LSU Tigers dropped their first game of their NCAA Super Regional series with Minnesota Friday evening 5-3. The Tigers took the early lead, when Aliyah Andrews scored on a throwing error in the top of the third. In the bottom half, Minnesota responded with a solo home run by Maddie Houlihan to lead-off the inning and tie the game at one. Right after, in the top of the 4th, the Tigers responded with a lead-off homer of their own. Amber Serrett took one for a ride opposite field over the scoreboard– LSU’s 74th home run of the season– which put them back out front 2-1. LSU added to that lead later in the 4th with the RBI single from Amanda Sanchez, which scored Elyse Thornhill. That 3-1 LSU lead was soon erased though, as the Gophers scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 4th to take their first lead of the game, which they never gave up after that.
GAME 1 TO THE GOPHERS!
A 4-run 4th inning leads Minnesota to a 5-3 victory over LSU. #NCAASoftball | @GopherSoftball pic.twitter.com/2EOnWTuerU
— NCAA Softball (@NCAAsoftball) May 24, 2019
Shelbi Sunseri started in the circle for LSU but only lasted 3.2 innings, giving-up 5 runs on 7 hits and walking 5. She was tagged with the loss. Maribeth Gorsuch came-in to finish the game for the Tigers, giving-up no hits and no runs in 2.1 innings of work. Amber Fiser got the win for the Gophers, pitching a complete game. She gave-up 8 hits, 3 runs and struck-out 7.
At the plate, Shemiah Sanchez and Elyse Thornhill each had two hits apiece for LSU. Maddie Houlihan and Allie Arneson both had 2 hits and 2 RBI for Minnesota.
Game two in the best-of-three series between the Tigers (43-18) and the Gophers (45-12) is Saturday at 5:00 p.m. (CT). If LSU wins Saturday’s game, they will force a third and final game on Sunday, with a trip to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City on the line. If LSU loses to the Gophers again Saturday, their season is over and Minnesota will advance.