For much of Thursday night’s matchup between LSU (17-10, 4-3 SEC) it seemed like a mirror image of Tuesday night with the Tigers only having a 2-1 lead headed into the seventh. That seventh inning was the perfect time for them to take out some aggression on Mississippi State (13-14, 1-6 SEC) en route to a 10-1 victory.
How It Happened
Jake Slaughter got the Tigers on the board in the second inning with an RBI single out to left field. Zach Watson made it 2-0 in the third with a solo shot out to left centerfield.
Things looked like they were turning around for the Bulldogs in the sixth when Hunter Stovall got them on the board in the sixth with an RBI double out to left field. However, the Tigers shut that door with fervor in the seventh.
Watson was the spark that the offense needed with a two-out RBI single, followed up by an triple out to center field from Antoine Duplantis to make it 4-1. They weren’t done though as the Tigers put together five more runs on the board, highlighted by a two-run single from Daniel Cabrera.
Zack Hess improved to 4-3 with the win, allowing one run off of three hits, walked one, and struck out 10 in six and two-thirds of an inning of work.
Big Numbers: 14 & 10
LSU’s offense has the potential to explode at any given moment and this was a prime example of that with the Tigers putting together 14 runs. More importantly, they were able to get 10 runs across. Whatever Paul Mainieri said after the loss to the Cajuns on Tuesday seems to have worked as this team was able to capitalize on their offensive outburst in the seventh.
Player of the Game: Zach Watson
If I could give it to two players, then Zack Hess would be the second player. However, Watson, who went 3-for-4 on the evening was a huge reason for the Tigers offensive output.
Next Up: Game Two Against Bulldogs; First Pitch at 7 pm
-Clint Domingue