Chris Reid wasn’t even supposed to be in the lineup on Wednesday night for LSU. However, in the bottom of the ninth, Paul Mainieri needed someone to keep the Tigers hopes alive with two outs and their professional hitter came to the plate and got it to extra innings where they came away with a 5-4 win over Nicholls.
How It Happened:
The Colonels started out strong with Austin France hitting an RBI double in the top of the first, followed up by a solo shot in the second by Adam Tarver gave them an early two-run advantage. However, Hal Hughes tied things up in the bottom of the fifth with one swing of the bat resulting in a two-run single.
Dillon Belle gave Nicholls the lead right back on a solo home run to right field in the sixth. Hughes started to get the Tigers offense going again in the seventh with an RBI single to even things up once again, but another solo home run from Tarver made it a 4-3 advantage headed into the ninth.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Chris Reid approached the plate as the Tigers last hope to avoid a midweek upset. He hadn’t even taken batting practice this week due to some arm soreness. With a 2-2 count, Reid got an RBI double down in left-center to force extra innings.
It didn’t take much for the Tigers to come away with the win in the bottom of the 10th with Antoine Duplantis getting walked to start the frame and advancing to second off of a wild pitch. Daniel Cabrera then got the senior home with a walk-off double to right field to send the Tiger faithful home happy.
Big Number: 9
The Tigers pitching staff wasn’t great, especially in the opening two innings, but striking out nine batters on the evening is no small feat.
Player of the Game: Hal Hughes
Hal Hughes doesn’t get as much love as he deserves. Everyone will be talking about Reid’s clutch hit in the ninth, but Hughes had a major role in keeping the Tigers within reach with a pair of hits and three RBIs.
Next Up: Friday at Mississippi State; First Pitch at 6:30 pm
-Clint Domingue