The Fighting Tigers of LSU did not have a good relationship with Mother Nature this weekend as two of their three games against Mississippi State were delayed due to weather. Even with the game going until 1:45 a.m., the Tigers battled and got a quick eight run inning to steady them to a 17-8 finale victory to clinch the sweep over the Bulldogs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Chase Shores started on the mound for the Tigers and had a quick 12 pitch start as the Bulldogs went down in order. Then, the LSU offense showed up early and often as Derek Curiel started things off with a single to center field before Jared Jones mashed a two-run home run to dead center to give LSU the early 2-0 lead. Two batters later, Steven Milam got a double to put runners at second and third with nobody out.
Ethan Frey then delivered a two-run single to make it 4-0 Tigers with still nobody out. Jake Brown would reach on a fielders choice and then advanced to second on a stolen base before taking third on a single from Ryan Reeves with two outs.
From there, the two out rally was on as Chris Stanfield singled to left field to score Brown, Curiel got his second hit of the inning as Reeves came into score, Jones got an RBI single to score Stanfield, and then Curiel made it home on a rundown as Jones was caught stealing to end the inning as the Bayou Bengals put up eight runs in the first inning.
Mississippi State got some offense in the second as Hunter Hines got a solo home run to put the Bulldogs on the board before Dylan Cupp got a bases-clearing double to cut LSU’s lead in half at 8-4.
The Tigers got a run back in the bottom half as Daniel Dickinson singled to start the frame and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Jake Brown singled to right field later as Dickinson came around to score and it was 9-4 LSU after two.
In the fifth, LSU got some insurance to their lead with a two-out, two-run double from Dickinson which scored Jones and Stanfield to make it 11-4 in favor of the Tigers.
Another round of trading runs came in the sixth as the Bulldogs cut into the lead with a sacrifice fly, but the Tigers got a pair in the bottom half on a RBI single and a double steal as Luis Hernandez stole third and Jake Brown took home to make it a 13-5 game after six complete.
Next inning, Mississippi State added three runs on a two-run double and a sacrifice fly to put themselves within striking distance at 13-8, but the Tigers would hold them scoreless the rest of way while adding four runs themselves on a home run from Hernandez, an RBI single from Dickinson, and a Milam sacrifice fly to win it 17-8 at around 1:45 Sunday morning.
BIG NUMBER: 4:15
The contest started at 9:30 Saturday night due to inclement weather before an offensive showing from both teams stretched the game into the morning hours as it took 4 hours and 15 minutes to play the contest.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jared Jones
The Tigers’ first baseman put on another great performance at the plate as he went 3-4, hit a two-run homer, scored three times, and was walked twice.
UP NEXT: LSU will welcome Louisiana Tech to Alex Box Stadium on Tuesday night in a in-state midweek showdown. First pitch is set for 6:00 and can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.