STANFORD, Calif. — Sydney Berzon gave up a run while striking out five over five innings, Kelley Lynch went 2 for 4 with five RBIs — including a grand slam — and LSU beat Stanford 11-1 in five innings Friday night to take Game 1 of the best-of-three Stanford Super Regional.
LSU (44-15) can clinch a berth in the 2024 Women's College World Series with a win in Game 2 on Saturday.
McKenzie Redoutey singled to lead off the game and advanced to second when Ciara Briggs reached base on an error. Lynch followed with an RBI double and Raeleen Gutierrez hit the next pitch back up the middle for a single that drove in Briggs and Lynch to make it 3-0.
Taryn Kern and Kyra Chan drew back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom half of the inning and Aly Kaneshiro hit an RBI single that cut the Stanford (46-15) deficit to 3-1.
Gutierrez and Taylor Pleasants each singled before Ali Newland hit a three-run home run and Maci Bergeron followed three pitches later with a solo shot to make it 7-1. Petty, Redoutey and Briggs loaded the bases with three consecutive singles before Lynch pulled a 0-1 pitch high in the air over the wall in the left for a grand slam — her first home run of the season — that ended the scoring.
Stanford's NiJaree Canady (21-5) gave up six runs, five earned, on 10 hits with six strikeouts over four innings. Regan Krause faced six batters and recorded just one out, allowing five runs on five hits, including two homers.
