Mississippi State defeated LSU 5-2 on Saturday, April 25, in a softball game at Nusz Park, securing the series win. LSU, ranked No. 20/15, could not recover from a five-run first inning by No. 17/19 Mississippi State.
The outcome affects both teams’ standings in the Southeastern Conference. LSU’s record now stands at 32-16 overall and 9-11 in conference play, while Mississippi State improves to 36-14 overall and moves to an 8-12 conference record.
Cece Cellura took the loss for LSU and is now 6-5 this season. She recorded five strikeouts over her outing, allowing eight hits and four earned runs with one walk. After giving up five runs on five hits in the opening inning, Cellura settled down to retire fifteen of the final nineteen batters she faced.
Kylee Edwards led LSU offensively with two of their seven hits for her thirteenth multi-hit game this year. Sierra Daniel hit her third home run of the season and fifth of her career for one run scored. Alex Franklin added a hit and an RBI for the second straight game.
For Mississippi State, Peja Goold pitched her twelfth complete game of the season with eleven strikeouts while allowing seven hits and two runs over seven innings. The Bulldogs’ pitching staff registered eleven strikeouts for the second consecutive contest.
LSU started strong with Daniel’s solo home run in the top of the first inning but trailed after Mississippi State responded with five runs featuring Paige Ernstes’ three-run homer—her second such shot of the series—and a two-run home run by Xiane Romero. Franklin’s RBI single narrowed it to a three-run deficit in the third inning but LSU left runners stranded through multiple late-inning opportunities.
The teams will conclude their series Sunday at Nusz Park.
