Fairfield Falls to LSU, 2-1, in Opening Round of Baton Rouge Regional
MAAC Sports
#13 LSU – 2 | Fairfield University – 1
2017 NCAA Softball Championship – Baton Rouge Regional
Tiger Park
Baton Rouge, LA
Score by Innings 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fairfield 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 2
LSU 2 0 0 0 0 0 X 2 3 2
Fairfield University (26-27, 11-9 MAAC) was defeated by No. 13 LSU (42-18, 12-12 SEC), 2-1, in the opening round of the 2017 NCAA Softball Championship. The Stags take on McNeese University in the losers' bracket of the Baton Rouge Regional, tomorrow, May 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET live on ESPN3. The Baton Rouge Regional is being held at LSU's Tiger Park in Baton Rouge, LA.
The Tigers scored both of their runs in the first inning off an error committed by Fairfield that allowed two runs to cross the plate with two out. 2017 MAAC Softball Championship MVP, junior Destinee Pallotto (13-12) tossed her 19th complete game of the season, allowed two runs, unearned, on three hits. She struck out two and walked one.
Over the course of her last five starts, Pallotto is (4-1) with a 0.64 ERA (three earned runs/33.0 innings pitched). She has pitched four complete games over her last five outings and has struck out 21 batters.
The junior has not allowed an earned run in 30.0 consecutive innings, dating to her first start of the MAAC Softball Championship on May 10 vs. Marist College. Pallotto held the Tigers' lineup hitless with runners on (0-7), with runners in scoring position (0-5), and with two outs (0-7).
The Stags scored their lone run in the top of the seventh inning. Senior catcher Tori Reed reached on an error to lead off the inning and advanced to second base as a result. Junior infielder Kristen Ball drove her in with a single to leftfield.
Tigers' starter Sydney Smith (12-7) earned the win. She pitched 6.0 innings, allowed one run, unearned, on three hits. Smith struck out one and walked one. Carley Hoover picked up the save, her first of the season. Hoover came into the game in the top of the seventh inning after Fairfield scored its first run. She surrendered a walk and then set down the final three Stags that came to the plate.
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About the NCAA Softball Championship:
2017 NCAA Softball Tournament - Baton Rouge Regional
Friday, May 19, 2017
Game 1: 4:00 p.m. ET. – McNeese vs. Louisiana (ESPN3)
Game 2: 6:30 p.m. ET. – Fairfield vs. LSU (ESPN3)
Saturday, May 20, 2017
Game 3: 1:00 p.m. ET – Louisiana vs. LSU
Game 4: 3:30 p.m. ET – McNeese vs. Fairfield
Game 5: 6:00 p.m. ET – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Game6: 2:30 p.m. ET – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
Game 7: 5:00 p.m. ET – (if necessary) Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6