LSU has been really good in the first game of the NCAA Regionals. In fact, they hadn’t lost a regional opener since 1985. That streak continued on Friday afternoon, taking down San Diego State 6-4.
How It Happened
LSU got out in front in the bottom of the second with a pair of groundouts by Hal Hughes and Brandt Broussard. Jake Slaughter closed things out in the second when he scored off of a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
San Diego State responded in a big way in the top of the fourth with Julian Escobedo scoring off of a wild pitch and was followed up by a hard hit two-run double down the left field line by Jacob Maekawa to tie things up. LSU broke the tie in the sixth with a one-out single to center field from Jake Slaughter to break out of a slump.
Later in the inning, Zach Watson and Antoine Duplantis made it 6-3 with a pair of RBI singles. Escobedo tried to chip away at the lead in the eighth with a two-out RBI single, but that was all that they could do thanks to a big ninth from Todd Peterson, getting his sixth save, sitting the Aztecs down in order.
Devin Fontenot improved to 3-0 on the season allowing one run off of two hits, walked one, and struck out four in three innings of relief work.
Big Number: 7
It was a very close ballgame comparing the two, but the number that really sticks out is the pitching staff striking out seven batters.
Player of the Game: Zach Watson
Watson had a great afternoon, going two-of-four with one of those knocks helping push the Tigers past the Aztecs.
Next Up: Winner of Oregon State/Northwestern State; First Pitch at 7 pm
-Clint Domingue