Defensive mistakes cost LSU another game

At this point in the 2022 season any ball hit to an LSU defender is an adventure.

Once again, LSU’s defensive mistakes cost the Tigers another game, this time dropping a 5-4 decision on the road at Arkansas Thursday night.

With the loss, LSU drops to 23-10 on the season and 7-6 in league play. Arkansas improves to 26-7 and 9-4 in SEC play.

The poor LSU defense started to show itself immediately as Cayden Wallace reached on an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error by Jacob Berry to lead off the game.

Three batters later, he came around to score on a fielder’s choice to give the Razorbacks a 1-0 advantage.

Down 2-0 in the sixth, the LSU bats would finally come alive, pushing across three runs on four consecutive singles, all on two outs, by Dylan Crews, Jacob Berry, Cade Doughty and Josh Pearson, giving the Tigers a 3-2 advantage.

Arkansas took the lead for good in the seventh behind another set of LSU defensive miscues.

Wallace led off the inning with a single, but the Tigers were able to retire the next two hitters.

Catcher Michel Turner reached on an error and center-fielder Braydon Webb reached on an infield single. Knocking the ball down in the infield, LSU shortstop Jordan Thompson had a throw at the plate to try and throw out Wallace, but it was off the mark, tying the game 3-3.

Second baseman Robert Moore gave the Razorbacks back the lead at 5-3 when he hit a ball in the direction of Cade Doughty. With the ball being hit to his left, Doughty broke initially to his right, allowing the routine ball to skip into the infield for a two-run single.

LSU cut the deficit to 5-4 in the eighth inning on an RBI single by Berry and had the bases loaded with one out, but Thompson grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the threat.

LSU will look to even the series Friday night at 6 p.m. Sophomore Blake Money is expected to get the start on the mound for the Tigers.