The defending National Champion LSU Tigers opened the 2024 season in the friendly confines of Alex Box Stadium as they welcomed VMI to Baton Rouge. The Keydets put up a strong fight for most of the game, but LSU was able to pull away with five runs in the sixth to take an 11-8 win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After a slow first inning where each team got just one hit (LSU’s coming from freshman phenom Jake Brown), the Tigers came alive in the second inning, scoring three runs on five hits. Back-to-back singles from Hayden Travinski and Josh Pearson set up Jared Jones to launch one into Left Field Landing for an early 3-0 lead.
Then, Mac Bingham and Alex Milazzo, each tacked on singles before Jake Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Tommy White, who grounded into an inning-ending double play on his first at-bat. White struck out looking to end the second inning with the bases loaded.
VMI erupted in the top of the third to score four runs and take the lead, running Thatcher Hurd from the game. It started with a Kazuya Jordan walk and advanced to second on a balk before Ty Swaim drove him with an RBI single. After that, a single from pitcher Trey Morgan, a double from Justin Starke, and a single from Cole Jenkins scored the other three runs to put the Keydets ahead.
LSU answered in the bottom half with a two-run double from Paxton Kling down the left-field line to put the Tigers ahead 5-4. However, VMI got the run back in the top of the fourth with a double from Owen Prince to tie the game at 5-5.
In the top of the fifth, Cole Jenkins hit one to left-center field for his first homer of the season and made it a 6-5 lead for the Keydets.
In the bottom of the sixth, LSU had an opportunity as the bases were loaded all with hit-by pitches with one out. White and Travinski were both hit to score a pair of runs and give LSU the 7-6 before another run was walked in Lastly, Mac Bingham laced a two-run double into left to make it 10-6 Tigers.
VMI got one run back on a double from Grayson Fitzwater to make it 10-7, making way for Gavin Guidry to take the bump for the Bayou Bengals. The Keydets added another run off a single from Ryan Peterson and an error allowed Fitzwater to score and make it a 10-8 game.
In the bottom of the eighth, Hayden Travanski tattooed one to left field for a solo homer to make it 11-8
Gage Jump, the UCLA transfer, saw his first action as a Tiger after not playing in over a year due to Tommy John Surgery. The fireball thrower made quick work of the Keydets, striking out two of three to win 11-8.
BIG NUMBER: 23
This game proved to be an offensive clinic as the two teams combined for 23 hits in the contest.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jared Jones
Jones was very strong to start the season, going 2-4 at the plate including a three-run home run. He finished the day with four RBI.
UP NEXT: LSU will return to action tomorrow at 1:00 when they host Central Arkansas at the Box. You can hear the broadcast on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles.