March 10, 2018
BATON ROUGE, La. - No. 10 Auburn softball dropped another heartbreaker to No. 8 LSU, falling 3-2 Saturday at Tiger Park.
Tied at 2-2, LSU scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh with two outs as Aliyah Andrews scored on a RBI single after Auburn senior catcher Courtney Shea was called for obstruction as she fielded the throw to the plate.
Auburn dropped to 23-4 (0-2 SEC) while LSU improved to 21-2 (2-0 SEC).
Auburn entered the top of the seventh trailing 2-0, but a hit by pitch and a single by Alyssa Rivera put the tying run on first for sophomore Tannon Snow. Down to the last out, Snow then sent a well-hit double to the right field corner to plate two and tie the game at 2-2.
LSU starting pitcher Maribeth Gorsuch kept the Auburn bats in check for most of the contest allowing just two hits prior to the seventh. Taylon Snow had the first in the first inning while Victoria Draper singled in the third to extend her hitting streak to 18 games.
Draper also stole a pair of bases to extend her nation-leading total to 31, just two shy of the Auburn season record of 33.
Senior right-hander Kaylee Carlson got the start in the circle and tossed 3.1 innings with 2 runs allowed, none earned, and surrendered five hits. Freshman Chardonnay Harris (2-2) relieved her in the fourth and pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing just three hits, but ultimately was charged with the loss after allowing the final run.
LSU's Allie Walljasper (9-1) picked up the win after relieving Gorsuch in the bottom of the seventh.
Auburn and LSU will play the series finale tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT. Auburn will then make a quick turnaround and make a stop in Hattiesburg, Miss. for a doubleheader with Southern Miss on Monday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT.