LAFAYETTE — A record crowd, 3,107, were on hand Saturday as no. 13 Louisiana beat no. 7 LSU in the two's first regular season meeting since 2001, the first at Lamson Park since 2002.
Down one in the second after a sac-fly, Sarah Hudek hit a game tying home run, her first of the season. A Bailey Curry sac-fly later scored Alissa Dalton as the Cajuns took a 2-1 lead.
The rest came down to pitching. Oregon Transfer Megan Kleist got the start in the biggest game of her Cajuns's career. She allowed just four hits, while striking out seven in the complete game win.
Kleist, who's teams had played LSU twice before Saturday, including a College World Series game, said Saturday's atmosphere was the best she's seen.
"No game has been like that. It's amazing to see the kind of fan base this program has and it's amazing to have that much support behind you," she said.
The win moves Louisiana to 7-1 on the season. After Louisiana's opening weekend loss to North Texas, Gerry Glasco admitted that Saturday was a "must win."
"North Texas, I told the girls that night that if we win these games against top-25 programs, than that's the best loss if it woke us up and made us realize we have to get better every night," he said. "So, yeah, I'm breathing easier because for me it was a must win. The eighth game of the season but it was a must win."
The victory is Glasco's 100th as a Cajun. Louisiana wraps up this home-and-home with LSU Sunday in Baton Rouge at 3:00 p.m.