Box Score McNeese Softball
Baton Rouge---Fifth ranked LSU used the long ball Thursday night in the opening game of the LSU Tiger Classic to defeat McNeese 8-0 in six innings.
 
LSU 's potent offense scored six of its eight runs on four homeruns and a two-hitter by Shelbi Sunseri. Sunseri retired the first nine batters she faced before giving up her first hit of the game. Sunseri did just as much damage at the plate as she did in the circle. Amanda Doyle also finished the game with two hits with one homerun.
 
In the circle, Sunseri gave up two hits and struck out six batters in the shutout while going 2 for 3 at the plate with a homerun and a triple
 
LSU didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard as the Tigers took a quick 2-0 lead on back-to-back solo homeruns by Taylor Pleasants and Amanda Doyle. LSU added another run when Cowgirl rookie starter Ashley Vallejo, in her collegiate debut hit Taylor Tidwell with a 3-2 count with the bases loaded to score Morgan Cummins.
 
After back to back walks by Vallejo to start the second inning, Whitney Tate replaced Vallejo in the circle. Tate got McNeese out of the inning by striking out her first batter and then a ground out to end the inning. Tate retired the next three batters she faced before giving up two consecutive singles to Ciarra Briggs and Aliyah Andrews to start off the bottom of the fourth before the game was halted for 30 minutes due to lightning.   
 
McNeese picked up its first hit of the game with a leadoff single to right center by Jill Poullard in the fourth inning but Poullard was stranded on first. Padyn Williams picked up the other Cowgirl hit with a bloop single between the pitcher's circle and second base to lead off the sixth inning.
 
After an hour and a half weather delay, Doyle singled to right field to load the bases but McNeese got out of the inning on a double play that started with third baseman Haylee Brinlee who threw out Andrew at home then catcher Gracie Devall tossed it to first baseman Caylon Brabham to get Georgia Clark out to end the inning.
 
LSU added three runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth.
 
Vallejo took the loss after allowing LSU to score three runs on three hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings.
 
Tate pitched the final 4 1/3 innings in relief and gave up five runs on eight hits and didn't allow a walk.
 
McNeese is scheduled to play Kansas in a double Friday beginning at 9 a.m.
 
 SCORING
B1- Back to back homeruns by Taylor Pleasants and Amanda Doyle give LSU a 2-0 lead. Taylor Tidwell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. LSU 3, McNeese
B5- Shelbi Sunseri led the inning off with a triple to right field then scored on a wild pitch. A three-run homerun by Briggs, her first career homerun extended the Tiger lead to 7-0. LSU 7, McNeese 0
B6- Sunseri struck again with a two-out solo homerun to end the game. LSU 8, McNeese 0