By Nathan Keil | Sports Editor
Baylor softball (19-6) dropped both games of its Saturday doubleheader in the LSU Round Robin Tournament in Baton Rouge, La.
In the opener, the Bears fell 3-1 to BYU behind a pair of fifth inning home runs to the Cougars.
In game two, LSU also used the home run ball to defeat the Bears, hitting a two-run home run in the fifth, a tying one in the seventh and a walk-off two-run bomb in the seventh to get the 5-3 win.
In game one, BYU emerged victorious behind a strong performance from the Cougars’ sophomore Kerisa Viramontes.
Viramontes went the distance in the circle, allowing one run on five hits with five walks to pick up her seventh win of the season.
On the other side of the matchup, junior Regan Green (4-1) took the loss for Baylor. Green allowed two runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts, but gave up two home runs to put the Cougars in front.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the fifth, BYU got back-to-back home runs by senior third baseman Caitlyn Allredge and senior outfielder Madison Merrell go to take a 2-1 lead on the Bears.
BYU added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to a wild pitch from junior Gia Rodoni for a 3-1 lead.
After a leadoff single in the seventh from junior outfielder Kyla Walker, Baylor was retired in order.
Baylor got its lone run of the game on an RBI single from senior outfielder Jessie Scroggins in the third inning.
Scroggins and Walker each finished with two hits for Baylor. Sophomore second baseman Nicky Dawson had the other hit for the Bears and scored their only run.
Against LSU, Baylor just couldn’t hold on to a lead, allowing the Tigers to tie it in the fifth and seventh before finally winning it in the eighth inning.
Rodoni (12-4) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Baylor took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the second inning.
Walker drove in the first run with an infield RBI single to shortstop. Scroggins delivered the same result.
But LSU answered with two runs off Rodoni in the fifth. The Tigers drew a leadoff walk and junior infielder Amber Serrett delivered a two-run home run to left-center field to tie the game at two.
The Lady Bears then had an answer of their own in the sixth inning. The rally began with a single to right by senior catcher Carlee Wallace, who then advanced on a wild pitch.
Sophomore outfielder Maddison Kettler caught a break, reaching on an infield single, when the replay showed she was out by a step. Sophomore shortstop Taylor Ellis put Baylor in front 3-2 with her sacrifice fly down near the corner in left field.
In the home half of the sixth, Rodoni walked the leadoff batter and fell behind 3-0 before getting a sac bunt for first out. Rodoni then got LSU sophomore first baseman Amanda Doyle, who got the Tigers’ first hit of the game in the fourth, to pop out to Dawson at second base.
Rodoni then got her fifth strikeout of the game to keep preserve Baylor’s 3-2 lead.
But the Tigers tied the game at three with a leadoff home run from junior infielder Shemiah Sanchez in the seventh. Then it was Doyle who lifted a Rodoni pitch over the wall in left-center field, giving LSU the win.
Baylor will finish the tournament with a second matchup with North Dakota State at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
