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No. 2 Arkansas uses 7-run first inning to win slugfest No. 12 LSU

Screenshot 2025-02-05 152517by:Cooper Taylor•05/02/25
Screenshot 2025-05-01 at 7.41.36 PM
Courtesy of Arkansas Athletics

Aces Robyn Herron and Sydney Berzon earned starts in a highly anticipated game one matchup, but it was not their best performances in the circle.

No. 12 LSU left 15 runners stranded in their 12-9 loss to No. 2 Arkansas. For the Razorbacks, the 13 free passes issued by its pitching staff didn’t come back to haunt.

To open the game, Herron issued three free passes to load the bases. But after 33 pitches, the junior left-hander induced a groundout to first to end the scoreless inning.

In the bottom of the first, a leadoff walk to Reagan Johnson came back to bite Berzon. On a full count, Bri Ellis launched a two-run homer to open the game.

Freshman Ella McDowell then singled and Kailey Wyckoff hammered the Razorbacks’ second two-run home run of the inning. After back-to-back errors, the ninth batter to the plate, Kennedy Miller, sent a three-run homer to the berm in left field. Scoring seven runs through the first nine batters on three home runs, Berzon was relieved by Ashley Vallejo. Arkansas sent 11 batters to the dish and plated seven runs to end the first inning.

In the second, Herron walked two more batters and a one-out single to load the bases, chasing her from the game. Jalia Lassiter flied out to right off of Reis Beuerlein, scoring LSU’s first run of the game. The next batter, Maci Bergeron, singled to left field and scored a second Tiger run.

With two outs, the Razorbacks elected to intentionally walk Tori Edwards to load the bases for the third time today. On a 2-2 count, McKenzie Redoutey grounded out and the Tigers stranded the bases loaded for the second time in two innings. In the home half, Arkansas got a run right back. A four-pitch walk to Ellis led off the inning, but it was Courtney Day’s two-out RBI double that extended the Hogs’ lead to 8-2.

Back for her second inning of relief in the top of the third, Beuerlein walked Jadyn Laneaux and hit Avery Hodge to start the inning. A single by Maddox McKee then knocked Beuerlein from the game.

Freshman Payton Burnham came on in relief, inheriting a bases-loaded situation with no outs. Off the bench, pinch hitter Savanna Bedell singled to left field and scored a run. A misplay by Raigan Kramer in left scored another LSU run, cutting the deficit to four. In the next at-bat, Kramer saved a run on a diving web gem to get the first out of the inning. Three pitches later, Lassiter recorded her second RBI of the game on a groundout to third, making it an 8-5 game.

In the bottom of the third, a leadoff single by Miller and back-to-back walks to Kramer and Ellis loaded the bases with one out. The Tigers pulled Vallejo from the game, making Tatum Clopton the third LSU pitcher of the game. Clopton came up clutch though, getting McDowell to ground into a fielder’s choice and striking out Wyckoff to keep the Hogs off the board.

For the fourth straight inning, the Razorbacks walked the leadoff batter. After five pitches, Burnham issued Arkansas’s tenth free pass of the game. A sacrifice bunt then moved runners to second and third with one out. A third walk in the inning to McKee loaded the bases again for LSU. With Danieca Coffey at the plate, a fly out to center field stranded the bases loaded again for LSU. The Razorbacks grabbed some insurance in the home half. After a walk and an error, a two-out RBI single from Johnson made it a 9-5 lead through four innings.

Lassiter and LSU answered immediately, though, driving in her third run of the game on a solo shot. Bergeron singled to center field after the homer. A four-pitch walk to Edwards then brought the tying run to the plate with no outs. After a groundout moved runners into scoring position, Laneaux doubled on an 0-2 pitch to center field, scoring two more Tiger runs.

Arkansas once again responded. Another intentional walk to Ellis led off the home fifth for Arkansas. Then, Clopton walked Wyckoff, moving runners to first and second with one out. Courtney Day, on a full count, belted a three-run homer to match LSU’s big inning. The Hogs held strong after five innings, leading 12-8.

Burnham came out again in the top of the sixth, and once again, the Tigers’ leadoff reached safely. This time, on a controversial bunt single from Sierra Daniel. Then, Coffey singled and chased Burnham from the game. Herron re-entered after tossing the first 1.1 innings of the game. In her return to the game, Herron walked Lassiter on four pitches.

With the bases loaded and Bergeron due up, she was declared out after LSU did not legally re-enter her, giving the Tigers their first out of the inning. A sacrifice fly from Edwards cut the lead to 12-9. With the tying run at the plate, Redoutey grounded out to end the top of the sixth. Clopton earned the shutdown bottom of the sixth, stranding two runners to keep the game at 12-9.

For the first time tonight, Arkansas retired LSU’s leadoff batter. Herron followed this with a three-pitch strikeout. A two-out McKee single kept LSU’s hopes alive though, but Herron shut down those hopes quickly, inducing a groundout to end the marathon game.

Beuerlein is credited with the win after tossing just 0.2 innings and allowing three runs. Berzon does get the loss, failing to get out of the first inning and surrendering four earned runs.

Arkansas will look for its sixth straight SEC series win on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. ET.

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