LSU's Karli Petty breaks scoreboard with monstrous home run in NCAA Tournament

LSU looks to advance to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament with a win over Southern Illinois on Sunday, and their strong performance in the third inning is certainly helping them do so.

The Tigers scored three runs in the third inning thanks to two home runs. But infielder Karli Petty stole the show and did some damage with her solo home run, a homer that slapped and broke the scoreboard at Tiger Park.

Check out Petty’s epic home run that punished the scoreboard below.

Petty extended LSU’s lead to 9-0. A score that would hold up for the remainder of the game as the Tigers would advance the Super Regionals behind a five-inning run-rule to win over Southern Illinois.

Catcher Maci Bergeron joined Petty with a homer of her own in the bottom of the third, a two-run shot also sent home left fielder Ali Newland after she was hit by a pitch to start the third inning. Which followed an impressive second inning from LSU where they scored five runs. Highlighted by the Tigers’ home run and RBI leader Taylor Pleasants hitting a three-run homer after hitting a two-run homer in her previous game against the Salukis on Saturday.

Pitcher Kelley Lynch had a dominant shutout performance in the circle for the Tigers to compliment the team’s impressive day offensively. Allowing just one hit during her outing along with six strikeouts, improving her record to 9-2 on the season and proving why she was worthy of All-SEC recognition in her first season with LSU.

LSU advanced to the Super Regionals of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 and the 10th time overall in program history. Now awaiting the winner of the Stanford Regional which will be determined by a final between Stanford and Cal State Fullerton. Which will also determine if the Tigers will host the Super Regional or if Sunday was their last game of the season at Tiger Park.

“I’m so proud of this team and these seniors,” LSU head coach Beth Torina said. “This senior class has done all the right things. I told them right after the game that this moment was earned and deserved for how they carried themselves. Our fans were awesome in how they treated them in this final moment here at Tiger Park. They deserve those moments because they’ve done so many things so right.”