It was all LSU in the opener against Prairie View A&M at the Baton Rouge Regional on Friday evening. The Tigers began the NCAA tournament on a high note as they rolled to a 12-2 run-rule win in five innings.

Now, coach Beth Torina’s team will move on to the 1-0 game on Saturday against Louisiana, which won its opener over Omaha 5-3.

Despite putting away the first two batters she faced to begin the game, Tigers starting pitcher Raelin Chaffin couldn’t escape the first inning unscathed as she gave up a one-run homer to right field to give the Panthers the early lead. She responded with a strikeout, her second of the frame, to avoid further damage.

That lead wouldn’t last long, though. LSU led off the bottom of the frame with three-straight singles to load up the bases, and a sacrifice fly from Georgia Clark brought home Danieca Coffey as well as Ciara Briggs after an errant throw home.

Taylor Pleasants added a third run in the inning on another sacrifice, this time from McKenzie Redoutey. Maci Bergeron would then add to the lead in the bottom of the second with a leadoff solo shot over the center field wall to give LSU a 4-1 lead.

Later in the inning, Prairie View recorded another error on a throw to first after an attempted sac-bunt from Coffey, sending Raeleen Gutierrez home from third still with no outs on the board. A subsequent single allowed to Briggs would prove to be the end of Panthers starter Jerrica Rojas’ night.

That wouldn’t end the onslaught, though. Pleasants greeted the new pitcher with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 7-1.

Things just got worse for PVAMU in the third. With runners at second and third, Gutierrez scored on a passed ball. Briggs reached on a throwing error, allowing Coffey to score, and an RBI double from Pleasants brought Briggs home.

An Ali Newland home run capped off the inning and gave the Tigers a 12-1 lead. Prairie View would get a run back in the top of the fourth, but it stranded two runners on and remained in run-rule position.

The Panthers got two on in the top of the fifth in hopes of avoiding the end of the game, but Chaffin got a game-ending eighth strikeout. In her NCAA tournament debut, Chaffin was electric. She allowed just two hits and one earned run in a complete game victory.

LSU will face the Ragin’ Cajuns in the winner’s bracket at noon CT on Saturday.

More Softball!

How to watch as No. 10-seeded LSU softball opens NCAA Regional against Prairie View A&M on Friday

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Story originally appeared on LSU Tigers Wire