Spartans Fall in Opener of LSU Tourney, 6-1

Friday, February 20

5 PM ET/4 PM CT

Michigan State University

6-4

Louisiana-Lafayette

8-4

ULL

Michigan St

2/20/2026 7:58:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State fell in the opening game of the Purple and Gold Classic at LSU, dropping a 6-1 decision to Louisiana-Lafayette.

MSU, receiving votes in the national polls this week, did rattle off six hits, but stranded eight batters. The Spartans also committed a pair of errors as the squad dropped s its second straight game to fall to 6-4 on the season. . Louisiana-Lafayette is now 8-4.

Zoie Bernard had a pair of singles, while catcher Kirsten Caravaca threw out three would-be base stealers and went 1-for 2. Carsyn Cassady got the start and went five-plus innings, facing a pair of batters in the sixth. She was charged with six runs, struck out four, and walked four. Autumn Behlke came on in relief and got the final six outs, scattering six hits.

Haley Hart and Emily Smith each had homers on the day, with five combined RBI – Hart was 2-for-3, as was Cecelia Vasquez. Julianne Tipton scattered six hits in the circle in five innings, an was relieved by Lexie Delbrey.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES

Zoie Bernard went 2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base, and an RBI.
Kirsten Caravaca threw out three runners on stolen base attempts, and was 1-for-2 at the plate.
Carsyn Cassady went five innings and allowed six runs, striking out four and walking four.
Autumn Behlke threw the final two innings, allowing three hits (one double).

NOTABLES

Zoie Bernard had her fourth multiple-hit game of the season, a team best. She also owns the second-longest active hitting streak (three games).
Hannah Hawley has a hit in each of the last four games.
Kirsten Caravaca threw out a trio of runners on stolen base attempts, and was 1-for-2 at the plate.
Kendall Smiley had a second-inning triple, her first of the season after leading the Spartans in that category in 2025 (6)
Britain Beshears was walked a team-high 12th time on the season in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Carsyn Cassady turned in her longest outing of the season (5.0 innings), which is also the second-longest of any starter this season. Autumn Behlke went 6.1 innings vs. Pitt on Feb. 7 – and relieved Cassady today with none out in the sixth.

SCORING NUGGETS

The Ragin' Cajuns took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first on a single, a walk, and a three-run homer by freshman Haley Hart. The Spartans did mount a counterattack in the bottom of the inning, as Zoie Bernard led off with a hit, Hannah Hawley walked, and an infield single by Kirsten Caravaca loaded the bases – but MSU stranded all three.
Cecelia Vasquez doubled to left center as the second batter in the second, and went to third on a bunt single by Mia Liscano. She was thrown out trying to steal second, but Vasquez came home to make it 4-0. In the bottom of the inning, Kendall Smiley laced a one-out triple to right center, and Bernard brought her home with a single to center to make it 4-1.
Both teams were held off the board for three straight innings, with the Ragin' Cajuns returning to the scoreboard early in the sixth inning, on a leadoff double followed by a homer that made it 6-1. Autumn Behlke relieved Cassady, and gave up a one-out double to right center – but got the next two outs with no more damage. MSU put its first two batters on base (Caravaca hit by pitch, and Hannah Greer a bunt single) to trigger a pitching change, but could not bring them around.