Alabama
LSU
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (05/21/2026) — The Alabama Crimson Tide blanked the LSU Tigers 7-0 at Rhoads Stadium on Thursday night, riding an 11-strikeout gem from Jocelyn Briski and a balanced offensive attack in front of 2,933 fans.
Alabama broke the game open early, never trailed, and turned what began as a manageable deficit for LSU into a 10-0 run that effectively ended the contest by the middle innings.
How It Happened
The Crimson Tide set the tone in the first inning, manufacturing runs without needing the big hit. Jena Young came around to score on a passed ball by LSU catcher M. Bergeron, with Alexis Pupillo advancing to third on the same play. Audrey Vandagriff then singled to center, plating A. Roman and moving Marlie Giles to third to make it 2-0.
Pupillo extended the lead in the third inning with a solo home run to right field, her power stroke pushing Alabama out to a 3-0 advantage and giving Briski more room to operate in the circle.
The fourth inning delivered the knockout blow. Young drove a double into deep left-center, clearing the bases as Vandagriff, S. Hawkins and Kristen White all scored. That three-run extra-base hit ballooned the margin to 6-0 and shifted the game from competitive to decisive.
Alabama tacked on its final run in the fifth, when K. Pate advanced to third on a wild pitch by Cece Cellura and came home on a throwing error by Bergeron. The 7-0 cushion was more than enough for a Crimson Tide pitching staff that allowed just one hit all night.
Turning Point
The game pivoted on Young's fourth-inning double. With Alabama already comfortable at 3-0 and Briski cruising, the three-run shot to left-center transformed the night from a one-swing game into a rout. Up to that point, LSU had stayed within striking distance despite trailing. After the double cleared the bases, the Tigers needed multiple innings of offense against a pitcher who would ultimately surrender a single hit — a mathematical climb that never materialized.
The sequence also showcased how Alabama stacked production through the middle of its order. Vandagriff, Hawkins and White all reached base ahead of Young, turning a productive inning into a defining one.
Star of the Game
Briski was untouchable. The right-hander tossed a complete-game one-hitter over 7.0 innings, struck out 11 LSU batters and did not allow a run. She faced an LSU lineup that managed only one base hit against her all night, with Jalia Lassiter accounting for the Tigers' lone knock in a 1-for-3 effort.
On the offensive side, Young paced the attack with a 2-for-4 performance, scoring once and driving in three runs — all on her fourth-inning double. Pupillo matched her with a 2-for-4 night that included a home run and an RBI, while Kristen White (2-for-3, 1 R) and Marlie Giles (2-for-3) extended the lineup's depth. Vandagriff chipped in a 1-for-2 day with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
LSU starter Paytn Monticelli took the brunt of the damage, going 3.1 innings with seven hits and six runs allowed. Cellura followed with 2.2 innings, surrendering three hits and one run while striking out two.
What It Means
For Alabama, the win is the kind of complete performance that travels well: dominant pitching, a balanced lineup with five players collecting multiple hits, and the ability to stack runs in clusters rather than relying on one inning. Briski's 11-strikeout outing against an SEC opponent reaffirms her status as a top-of-the-rotation arm capable of carrying the Crimson Tide through high-stakes matchups.
For LSU, the night was a tough one at the plate. The Tigers managed just one hit and were held scoreless across seven innings, with their top hitters going a combined 1-for-14. The defensive miscues — a passed ball and a throwing error — also factored directly into Alabama's run column. The Tigers will look to reset offensively, knowing the pitching matchups across the SEC rarely get easier.
