LSU eliminates Lady Vols from SEC Tournament

No. 8 seed LSU (40-14, 12-12 SEC) defeated No. 1 seed Tennessee (40-10, 19-5 SEC), 2-1, in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals Thursday at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

LSU’s victory denies the Lady Vols a second consecutive tournament title and becomes the first team to defeat Tennessee twice this season.

LSU led, 1-0, in the first inning as Tennessee starting pitcher Karlyn Pickens allowed three walks. Ali Newland hit an RBI single.

The Tigers extended their advantage to, 2-0, in the fifth inning.

Tennessee scored its lone run of the game in the fifth inning and pulled to within, 2-1, when Sophia Nugent hit an RBI single.

Nugent went 1-for-3 and recorded one RBI, while McKenna Gibson went 1-for-3 for the Lady Vols, who stranded nine runners in the contest.

Pickens (19-6) started for Tennessee. She pitched five innings, allowing one run, four hits and three walks. She recorded four strikeouts and totaled 87 pitches.

Payton Gottshall pitched two innings before Pickens re-entered. Gottshall pitched two innings. She allowed one run, three hits and one walk. Gottshall recorded one strikeout and totaled 53 pitches.