NASHVILLE — A disastrous fifth inning sparked the loss.
Vanderbilt plated six runs in the frame, ran off LSU’s starting pitcher Cooper Moore, and would go on to pick up an 11-3 victory at Hawkins Field on Saturday night. With the defeat, Jay Johnson’s squad opens up Southeastern Conference play with a series loss, and it is the second straight weekend series loss for the Tigers.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Vanderbilt struck first in the bottom of the second.
Braden Holcomb led off with a single to right field, and then Mike Mancini drew a walk. A wild pitch allowed them to advance to third and second. Moore got Max Jensen to strike out and then Ryker Waite to ground out, but that infield out was enough to let Holcomb score.
LSU got its first hit and run of the game in the top of the fourth.
Steven Milam led off with a double in the gap and then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Jake Brown was walked, and Milam would score after Wyatt Nadeau tried to pick off Brown, but his throw went past first base.
After a lineout by Derek Curiel, Brown advanced to third and was joined on the base paths as Zach Yorke drew a four-pitch walk. Nadeau got out of the jam as he got Cade Arrambide to hit into a double play.
Vanderbilt got to LSU’s Cooper Moore in the bottom of the fourth, as Holcomb and Mancini hit back-to-back singles. Jensen then hit a double down the right field line to bring home a run.
That left two Commodores on the base paths and no outs. Moore got a strikeout, and then Milam made a diving play for an out, and then backhanded it to third for another out.
Moore got into trouble in the fifth as he walked Tommy Goodin on four pitches, gave up a single to Rustan Rigdon, and then a single to Brodie Johnston to load the bases. He was pulled for Ethan Plog.
Vanderbilt then went on a scoring barrage, plating six runs in the frame, including a three-run home run by Chris Maldonado. The Commodores would add two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
LSU led off the seventh with Curiel hitting a single, and two batters later Arrambide lacing a double into left-center field. That put runners on third and second with one out. Omar Serna Jr. hit a single into left field that brought home a pair of Tigers.
Vanderbilt answered in the bottom of the seventh as Goodin blasted a pitch from Reagan Ricken into the left field bleachers.
BIG NUMBER: 24
In Saturday’s loss, LSU’s pitching staff gave up 11 runs, which nearly equaled the amount it gave up on Friday night. For the first two games of the series, the Tigers have given up 24 runs.
BIG NUMBER II: 8.8
In LSU’s seven losses this season, the team has given up an average of 8.8 runs per contest. Through 20 games on the season, the Tigers are surrendering an average of 5.35 runs per game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: WYATT NADEAU
For the first six innings, Vanderbilt’s pitcher was dominant against LSU’s lineup. He gave up one run on one hit, struck out eight Tigers in the first six frames before ending the game, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out 10.
UP NEXT: LSU (13-7, 0-2) will take on Vanderbilt in the final game of the series on Sunday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m., and you can listen to it live on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.