ATHENS, Ga. – Danieca Coffey sparked a two-out, seventh-inning rally with her second RBI double, guiding No. 3 LSU to a 5-3 triumph over No. 13/15 Georgia at Jack Turner Softball Stadium.
With the win, LSU elevated its record to 28-1 and remains unbeaten at 4-0 in the SEC. Georgia is 22-7, 2-5 mark in conference action.
As the seventh inning unfolded and the score sat at 3-3, infielder Sierra Daniel drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a groundout. Just when the pressure mounted with two outs, Coffey ripped a pitch down the right-field line, scoring Daniel and reclaiming a 4-3 edge for LSU. Outfielder Jalia Lassiter followed up with a crucial single up the middle, bringing Coffey home and adding some cushion heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Georgia made one last push, getting a single and capitalizing on an error, putting runners on base with no outs. But LSU pitcher Sydney Berzon wasn’t fazed; she struck out the next batter and orchestrated a groundout to shortstop. Utility player Tori Edwards swiftly threw to catcher Maci Bergeron, who made the tag at the plate, sealing the victory for LSU in game one of the series.
Coffey shone brightly, recording her third three-hit game of the season and the fifteenth of her career, finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Daniel also made waves, launching her second home run and crossing home twice. Meanwhile, Bergeron and Lassiter chipped in with key run-scoring singles, rounding out LSU’s offense.
In the circle, Berzon continued her stellar campaign, improving to 13-0. She struck out four batters while allowing five hits, three walks, and one earned run during her twelfth complete game.
On the opposing side, Georgia’s pitcher Randi Rolling faced setbacks, dropping to 6-4 this season. She logged four strikeouts but yielded seven hits, five runs, and two walks over seven innings.
Daniel kicked off the scoring with a two-out solo shot that soared off the right-field scoreboard in the second inning. LSU then surged to a 3-0 lead with Coffey’s first RBI double and Bergeron’s run-scoring single in the third.
Georgia answered back in the bottom of the third, scoring two runs on three hits combined with one LSU error, closing the gap to 3-2 after three innings.
Following a scoreless fourth, the Bulldogs leveled the game at 3-3 in the fifth. Both teams found themselves silent in the sixth, tying the stage for a dramatic seventh inning.
Up Next
Don’t miss the action as game two of the LSU-Georgia series is set for 1 p.m. CT Saturday.
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