Lynch no-hitter leads LSU past Auburn in game two

Utility pitcher Kelley Lynch tossed her first career seven-inning no-hitter as No. 6 LSU blanked Auburn 2-0 at Tiger Park Saturday night to tie the series.

With the win, LSU is 33-7 this season and 10-7 in the SEC, while Auburn falls to 22-13-1 and 4-10 in conference competition. The Fighting Tigers logged their 10th shutout of the season.

Lynch (5-1) threw a season-high nine strikeouts and gave up three walks in the win. She also commanded a stretch, retiring nine consecutive batters. Lynch has two solo no-hit performances, including one last year at Washington. 

For the program, it is the first no-hitter since Maribeth Gorsuch’s perfect game against Belmont on Feb. 22, 2020, and the program’s 45th no-hitter overall. LSU’s last seven-inning no-hitter against an SEC opponent was at Arkansas in 2007 with Emily Turner in the circle, and the previous no-hitter at home versus an SEC team was against Tennessee in 2001 with three-time All-American Britini Sneed on the mound.

“It was a pretty emotional game,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “Honestly, when you think about what this state represents, and then we have a pitcher on the mound whose dad passed away from cancer when she was 11 years old, she’s the one who throws a no-hitter in the cancer game. I mean, it’s pretty incredible. It felt like it was written before we even took the field today. It’s kind of one of those ‘meant to be’s.’ For many reasons, it was a special day, especially for Kelly Lynch.”

Auburn’s pitcher Maddie Penta (13-7) received the loss, allowing six hits, two runs, two walks, and struck out two batters in 6.0 innings.

Outfielder McKenzie Redoutey drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-RBI blast to center field in the third inning. Third baseman Sierra Daniel led the offense, going 2-for-2 at the plate and scoring one run. 

“I thought today was a lot more smiles, a lot more joy, a lot more free, a lot more LSU softball. Yesterday, I didn’t know what was happening with them. Sometimes, you’re not a hundred percent on. Today, it felt a lot more like them. Yesterday was low energy and low effort; today’s energy, effort, and joy felt much better. I think win or lose, we would have felt better about this day, but it definitely feels better to win.”

Up Next

The series’ deciding game will be at 1 p.m. central on Sunday.