Pitcher Raelin Chaffin threw her third shutout behind seven season-high strikeouts as No. 10/11 LSU defeated Jackson State 5-0 Friday afternoon at Tiger Park.
“I think it was a solid win,” said Head Coach Beth Torina. “It was everything we needed to do to move on to the next day. Of course, there are things we could do better, but this time of year, you take the win and move on to the next. We’re lucky we had Raelin [Chaffin] throw a great game on the mound today. Just never a doubt, never a moment where I felt it got away from her. We executed the plan today, did what we needed, and are moving on.”
This season, LSU is 41-15, and Jackson State falls to 33-18. LSU will face Southern Illinois at noon CT on Saturday. SIU defeated No. 21 Cal, 5-4, in the Baton Rouge Regional opening game.
Chaffin (11-5) earned the win, pitching her 10th complete game of her career. The hurler tied her season-high with seven strikeouts and allowed three walks and two hits. Chaffin and the LSU defense smothered Jackson State as they did not allow a runner to get past first base and turned two double plays.
JSU’s Pitcher Victoria Salazar (16-11) was charged with the loss, allowing five runs on six hits with four walks in 6.0 innings pitched.
Outfielder Ali Newland was 2-for-2 at the dish and scored two runs, and second baseman Karli Petty had a game-high two RBIs and had one hit.
LSU quickly plated a run after outfielder Ciara Briggs laid down a bunt to reach first safely and stole second before advancing to third on a flyout.
First baseman Raeleen Gutierrez hit a two-out run-scoring single down the first base line, giving the home team a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
The Bayou Bengals crossed two runs on two hits in the fourth inning, courtesy of an RBI groundout by third baseman Madyson Manning and an RBI single by Petty to stretch the home team’s lead 3-0 lead through four frames.
LSU added two insurance runs in the sixth. With the bases loaded, the Fighting Tigers logged consecutive groundout RBIs from pinch hitter Abigail Savoy and Petty to balloon LSU’s lead 5-0.
LSU’s defense recorded a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
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