Fielding mistakes cost LSU in loss to Baylor
Six LSU pitchers couldn’t overcome the sloppiness of five Tigers’ errors as Baylor scored five runs in its last three at-bats to give the Bears a 9-6 win Sunday night in the final game of the Shriners Hospital for Children Classic in Houston’s Minute Maid Park.
A three-run sixth inning, keyed by shortstop Jack Pineda’s two-run homer, helped Baylor regain the lead at 7-5. The Bears added two runs in the eighth, collecting three of their 11 hits.
LSU (9-3) lost two of the three games it played this tournament (also beat Oklahoma 5-4 in 11 innings, lost to No. 1 Texas 6-1), being outscored by a combined 19-12 and outhit 32-23. The Tigers committed 10 errors and left 29 runners on base.
After leading 5-4 at the end of four innings vs. Baylor, LSU managed just two hits in its final five at-bats. Both hits were in the ninth inning, including a solo homer by right fielder/third baseman Jacob Berry.
The Tigers immediately hopped on Baylor starting pitcher Will Rigney for two runs in the top of the first inning with first baseman Tre’ Morgan and Berry sandwiching doubles around a walk issued to center fielder Dylan Crews. Berry’s RBI double scored Morgan and second baseman. Cade Doughty’s sacrifice fly RBI scored Crews.
Baylor got a run back in the bottom of the first when the Bears’ first two batters Pineda and Tre Richardson ripped consecutive singles off LSU starter Grant Taylor. Pineda scored on second baseman Kyle Nevin’s one-out sac fly RBI.
LSU fell behind in the third inning when Baylor pushed across a pair of runs.
Pineda led off the inning reaching on an error and three batters later scored on an RBI single by Kyle Nevin. Antonio Valdez’s RBI sacrifice fly would give Baylor its first lead at 3-2.
Gavin Dugas gave LSU the lead back an inning later with a two-run single and Morgan added an RBI single to make it 5-3 Tigers.
Baylor added a single run in the fourth to make it a one-run affair via an RBI triple that was misplayed by Berry, but pushed across three runs in the sixth to take the lead for good.
First baseman Chase Wehsener led off the inning with a single, but LSU reliever Paul Gervase struck out Kobe Andrade. Esteban Cardoza-Oquendo followed with a single to put runners on the corners with one out. Gervase forced Cortlan Castle into a ground ball to Collier Cranford at third base, but LSU was unable to turn the double play, allowing Wehsener to score to tie the game.
One batter later Pineda deposited a Gervase pitch over the left centerfield wall for a two-run homer to make it 7-5 Bears. LSU would commit three more errors in the seventh inning, but were able to get out of it without giving up a run.
LSU bats struggled to pick up the clutch hit, leaving 10 runners on base and only managing six hits.
Gervase (1-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing 3 runs and 3 hits in 2.1 innings while striking out four and walking none.
Berry led the Tigers at the plate, going 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and a run. Morgan was 2 for 4 with 1 RBI and a run.
Four players for Baylor had two hits each, led by leadoff hitter Pineda (2 for 5, 2 RBI, 3 runs) and nine-hole hitter Castle (2 for 4, 2 RBI, 2 runs).
Looking to snap a two-game losing streak, the Tigers (9-3) return to action Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium against McNeese.