NCAA Softball Tournament: LSU Run Rules McNeese in Baton Rouge Regional Opener

LSU’s march to Oklahoma City and the Women’s College World Series got off in impressive fashion as the No. 7 national seeded Tigers run-ruled the McNeese State Cowgirls 10-2.

Shelbi Sunseri got the start in the circle for LSU and went the distance, striking out three and limiting McNeese to four hits. She helped out her own cause with a two-run home run in the fourth inning to push LSU’s lead to 4-1.

McNeese actually drew first blood, getting a run across in the first inning. Leadoff batter Cori McCray got on base after getting hit by a pitch. She advanced to third off a Kaylee Lopez single and scored after the ole strikeout-attempted steal-score while your teammate’s in a rundown play.

But LSU wasted little time reclaiming the lead. Amanda Doyle hit a two-run blast to right to give LSU a 2-1 edge.

After Doyle and Sunseri’s home runs, McNeese and LSU both scored a run in the fifth to make it a 5-2 game. LSU would go on to end it in the sixth with a five-spot.

Doyle drove in her third run of the afternoon thanks to a fielding error by McNeese second baseman Tayler Strother. Next, Amanda Doyle was brought home courtesy of a Georgia Clark RBI single to center field. Then freshman utility player Rayleen Gutierrez hit a single to score Doyle; and finally Jordan Perkins ended the game with a two-run double to right-center field.

With the win LSU moves into the winner’s bracket of the Baton Rouge regional. The Tigers will take on the winner of UL-Lafayette vs George Washington, a game that is currently 0-0 in the eighth. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. Saturday afternoon.