LSU’s baseball season came to an end with a 15-6 defeat to Tennessee in the NCAA Knoxville Super Regional on Sunday. The Tigers lost the series 0-2 and ended the season with a 38-25 overall record.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Tennessee jumped out to an early lead by scoring two runs in the first inning. Liam Spence led off by reaching first base on a throwing error by shortstop Jordan Thompson. After a sacrifice bunt by Max Ferguson, Jake Rucker blasted a two-run home run off of Landon Marceaux.
LSU answered as Dylan Crews led off the bottom of the frame with a solo home run over the center field wall.
The two teams traded solo home runs in the third.
Rucker took a pitch from Marceaux and lifted it over the right field wall, which gave the Volunteers a 3-1 lead.
After hitting a home run in the first, Crews did it again in the third with a two-out solo shot off of Blade Tidwell.
Marceaux was pulled for Garrett Edwards but the change didn’t stop Tennessee from hitting home runs.
After giving up a leadoff single to Jordan Beck, Connor Pavaolony took as 2-0 pitch and launched it over the center field wall for a two-run homer.
Tennessee would blow the game wide open by scoring six runs in the top of the fifth, which included a solo home run by Drew Gilbert and then a three-run home run by Beck — both off of reliever Will Hellmers.
LSU managed to cut into the lead with a two-run home run by Tre’ Morgan in the sixth, and then a two-run home run by Brody Drost in the seventh.
Tennessee answered by hitting yet another home run — this one a two-run shot by Evan Russell off of LSU’s AJ Labas.
The Volunteers added another run in the top of the ninth as Pavolony drove in a run with a double down the left field line, and then scored an unearned run.
BIG NUMBER: 6
The Volunteers hit a total of six home runs off of four different Tiger pitchers during Sunday’s NCAA Knoxville Super Regional game.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Dylan Crews
LSU’s freshman star went 2-for-4 in Sunday’s game with both hits being solo home runs.
UP NEXT: LSU will be looking to hire a coach to replace Paul Mainieri who has retired after 15 seasons.