With a five-run fourth inning, the LSU Tigers defeated the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 8-4 in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic Tuesday evening at Alex Box Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Tigers broke up the scoreless game in the bottom of the second inning, when Tre’ Morgan took a Cooper Rawls pitch and launched it over the left field wall.
The Ragin’ Cajuns responded in the top of the third with a solo home run of their own. Connor Kimple led off and took a pitch from Ty Floyd over the left field wall.
Floyd would settle down after that solo shot as he would strike out seven of the next nine Ragin’ Cajun batters he faced. The lone miscue came in the top of the fourth when Carson Roccaforte hit a solo home run to give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers answered in a big way in the bottom of the fourth.
Cade Doughty led off with a double and two batters later scored on a two-run home run by Jordan Thompson. An error by Jonathan Brandon allowed Brayden Jobert to reach first.
The Ragin’ Cajuns looked like they would be able to escape the jam after striking out Tyler McManus but then former St. Thomas More star Josh Stevenson, the Tigers’ nine hitter, drew a two-out walk. Josh Pearson was then hit by a pitch which loaded the bases.
Dylan Crews stepped into the box and drove in two runs with a single through the right side as the Ragin’ Cajuns were playing the shift.
In the fourth, LSU would bat through the order and plate five runs, only two earned.
The Tigers would add on two more in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Ragin’ Cajuns would add two runs in the top of the seventh with a two-out single by Max Marusak that scored two runs.
BIG NUMBER: 14
Tyler Robertson’s hitting streak ended Tuesday night at 14 straight. The Ragin’ Cajuns third baseman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
BIG NUMBER II: 11
The two teams combined to use 11 pitchers in the game with the Ragin’ Cajuns utilizing seven pitchers and the Tigers using four arms.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: JORDAN THOMPSON & TY FLOYD
Jordan went 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored, 2 RBI and two-run home run in the fourth to help break the game open. Floyd meanwhile over came two early solo home runs as he scattered four hits over five innings, while striking out eight hitters.
UP NEXT: LSU (24-12) will begin a three-game SEC series against Missouri at home on Thursday. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. Louisiana (20-16) will travel to Georgia State for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series