The LSU Tigers baseball team moved on from the regular season to the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Alabama, on Tuesday evening. Their first opponent was the Oklahoma Sooners in a late-night matchup.
It took until after midnight to decide a winner, but it was LSU who came out on top and advanced to the next round, winning 6-2. The win was the team’s 30th this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
LSU was the lower seed in the tournament; therefore, the Tigers were the away team and began with the bats in their hands. In that first inning, the Bayou Bengals loaded the bases without a hit after Mason Braun and Cade Carrambide walked, and Steven Milam was hit in the foot by a pitch with two outs. John Pearson’s flyout in right field prevented any runs from scoring.
Skipper Jay Johnson’s squad took the lead in the third inning with the top of the lineup. Braun singled up the middle and bit off more than he could chew, trying to turn two on the play. The effort was all for naught as he was tagged while sliding into second base. That base-running blunder wasn’t enough to prevent LSU from scoring, as Omar Serna Jr drew a walk and Derek Curiel hit a single deep in left field. Serna Jr scored on the play after Oklahoma’s Brendan Brock was credited with a fielding error.
Grant Fontenot was the Tigers’ starting pitcher on Tuesday after William Schmidt had to be pulled right before the game due to back issues and lasted just 2.1 innings. Fontenot struck out Dayton Tockey before allowing three straight singles to Kyle Branch, Jason Walk, and Camden Johnson, whose hit into left center field tied the game. Those hits were enough for Gavin Guidry to replace Fontenot on the mound and get out of the inning with minimal damage done.
The Sooner took the lead at the bottom of the fourth. A fielding error by Steven Milam allowed Brock to reach first. Brock stole second base and scored on an Arrambide throwing error to third base. That run came after Oklahoma rolled out its third pitcher of the game, going from Gavyn Jones and Nick Wesloski to LJ Mercurius.
LSU put up a three-spot in the fifth in multiple ways, reclaiming the lead. The inning began with Braun getting hit by a pitch and Serna Jr singling near the left field line to put runners on first and second. Duriel took another big hit with no outs, this time an RBI double that tied the game and put two runners in scoring position. Milam hit into a fielder’s choice, but no one was ruled out on the play due to a throwing error from third. The errant throw to home plate resulted in a pair of runs and a 4-2 lead for the Bayou Bengals.
Guidry’s day came to an end in the sixth when he loaded the bases with two outs. Deven Sheerin replaced him and forced Branch to fly out in left field and avoid any runs by Oklahoma.
The Tigers’ offense was in a similar situation in the seventh, also loading the bases with two outs. Milam and Chris Stanfield walked before a pitching change for the Sooners. Jack Ruckert then reached first after Oklahoma’s catcher was called for interference on a swing, loading the bases. Braun struck out swinging, leaving all three runners on base heading into the seventh inning stretch.
Milam went yard in the eighth, hitting a two-run home run over the right field wall. The other player to score was Arrambide, who singled up the middle on the previous at-bat. That put the Tigers ahead by four runs with an inning and a half left in the game.
Sheerin closed the door on Oklahoma in the final two innings and helped LSU secure the 6-2 win to advance to the next round and keep its season alive.
BIG NUMBER: 5
It was an error-filled Tuesday night that resulted in plenty of runs in Hoover. In total, there were five errors (three by Oklahoma, two by LSU), and three of them put four runs on the board between both teams.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Deven Sheerin
Sheerin was one of three pitchers on the mound for LSU. He and Gavin Guidry went the longest, going 3.1 innings and had six strikeouts apiece. Sheerin, however, allowed just one hit and no runs after facing 11 batters.
UP NEXT: The LSU Tigers baseball team will return on Wednesday, May 20th, to take on the Auburn Tigers in the next round of the SEC Tournament. First pitch from Hoover, Alabama, is scheduled for 8:00 PM, and the action can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.