JOURNAL SPORTS
BATON ROUGE — Raelin Chaffin made sure the LSU softball team got the start it needed Friday in the NCAA’s Baton Rouge Regional, and the Tigers began an unbeaten weekend to roll into next weekend’s Super Regionals.
The Airline alumnus threw a two-hitter with a season-high seven strikeouts Friday afternoon in a 5-0 victory over Jackson State at Tiger Park.
Chaffin carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, dominating the visiting hitters while LSU’s offense scuffled. The 10th-ranked Tigers scored a first-inning run but didn’t lead comfortably until after adding two in the fourth and two more in the bottom of the fifth.
“I think it was a solid win,” said LSU coach Beth Torina. “It was everything we needed to do to move on to the next day. Of course, there are things we could do better, but this time of year, you take the win and move on to the next. We’re lucky we had Raelin throw a great game on the mound today. Just never a doubt, never a moment where I felt it got away from her.”
Chaffin (11-5) earned the win, pitching her 10th complete game of her career and her third shutout in a 99-pitch outing. The junior hurler tied her season high with seven strikeouts and allowed three walks and two hits. Chaffin and the LSU defense smothered Jackson State as they did not allow a runner to get past first base and turned two double plays.
“It’s really cool when your coach and team instill confidence in you,” Chaffin said. “For me it’s huge to go out there knowing and believing that I can do it. Having my teammates and coaches in my corner was really good.”
LSU (42-15) topped Southern Illinois Saturday and Sunday to earn the program’s 10th berth in the Sweet 16, two wins away from the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. The No. 9-seeded Tigers will travel to No. 8 Stanford for the best-of-3 Super Regional.
