Hess the hoss pitches like a boss in LSU's series-opening win over Ole Miss
Only a handful of players on LSU’s 35-man baseball roster had ever seen Zack Hess change from a laid-back dude to a heat-throwing, fire-flinging snarling reliever.
Most of them were high schoolers watching the 2017 College World Series when Hess, then a freshman, was blowing batters away with mid-90 miles per hour fastballs that gained speed depending on the urgency of the situation.
Friday night in Alex Box Stadium, they got their first glimpse of the legend of the hurler nicknamed “Wild Thing.”
Back in the bullpen and out of the starting rotation for the first time in two seasons by mutual agreement with Tigers’ coach Paul Mainieri, Hess delivered four innings of one-run relief as LSU beat Ole Miss 8-3 in the first of a three-game SEC series.
The victory kept the Tigers (30-16 overall, 14-8 SEC) tied with Mississippi State for second in the Western Division, two games behind league-co leader Arkansas. The Hogs and Eastern Division leader Vanderbilt are both 16-6 in the SEC after respective Friday wins over Kentucky and South Carolina. Ole Miss fell to 30-17 and 13-9 in the SEC West.
Hess no doubt dazzled his younger teammates with his throwback performance.
“Zack is like a big leaguer out of the bullpen,” said sophomore left fielder Daniel Cabrera, whose two-run homer keyed LSU’s four-run eighth inning that broke open a one-run game. “His stuff is just electric.”
“Zack’s our bulldog,” freshman second baseman Gavin Dugas added. “When he steps on the mound, he’s a game-changer.”
Hess, who approached Mainieri two weeks ago about returning to his comfortable persona as an aggressive reliever, allowed three hits including a solo homer. He struck out seven, including the last two outs to escape a jam in Ole Miss eighth with LSU leading 4-3.
“That felt great, I felt like I was back to normal,” said Hess, now 3-3 after getting his first win since March 22 at Georgia. “I’m at my best when I go all out. When I’m pacing myself (as a starter) going just 80 or 90 percent, my stuff just flattens out. I’m more susceptible to getting hit. When I give it everything I have, my stuff is sharper and I have better command.”
Mainieri, who said he never intended for Hess to throw four innings, said he nearly pulled Hess when the Rebels loaded the bases in the eighth. Hess responded with an inning-ending strikeout of Ole Miss catcher Cooper Johnson, who had cracked a solo homer in his previous at-bat in the seventh inning off Hess.
“Hess was on fire,” Mainieri said. “At one point, he had thrown 22 strikes and five balls. So, I just rode him. I said, `If you’ve got it in the tank, let’s go.’ He was empty at the end. He summoned an extra gear to get Cooper (out) with the bases loaded.
“I believe in Hess. He always gives you everything he’s got. I can live and die with what Hess does. That kid fires me up. That’s the Zack Hess we know and love. He’s out there competing like crazy, letting it all hang out.”
Hess’ clutch strike out of Johnson, punctuated by Hess screaming something at his strikeout victim, raised the crowd energy even higher.
Johnson didn't give Hess much credit afterwards.
"We made him look better than he really pitched, but that's on us,,' Johnson told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. "We've got to have better at-bats."
Hess' emotional finish carried LSU to its game-clinching eighth inning. Cabrera launched a two-out, two-run homer just after Ole Miss third baseman Tyler Keenan misplayed Cabrera’s foul pop-up that would have ended the inning.
"I'm so glad I got another chance," Cabrera said.
Cabrera's "second chance" saw him tattoo a 2-2 pitch for a two-run homer. He was barely back in the dugout when Tigers’ freshman pinch-hitter Drew Bianco provided a career-moment that he’ll never forget.
Bianco, son of Ole Miss coach and former LSU star Mike Bianco, slammed the first pitch offered for a solo homer in his first at-bat ever against his father’s team.
“The inevitable day arrived, and I would have a tough time calling pitches to get my son out,” Mainieri said. “I guess the Biancos are a lot stronger than I am and what a moment for the kid. Bittersweet, I’m sure. He’s probably the biggest Ole Miss fan in the world because his dad’s the coach.”
The elder Bianco was miffed that his team couldn't capitalize with runners on the basepaths. Ole Miss, which left 10 runners on base, was 3-for-14 from the plate with runners on base and 0-for-9 with two outs.
"We had opportunities to blow the game open, and we just didn't.," Bianco said. "You've got to do that, especially in the SEC, especially in game like this."
Entering Friday’s game, LSU’s biggest key to a possible victory was how long sophomore starting pitcher Ma’Khail Hilliard could last.
Hillard, who recorded a 5-2 win at Ole Miss last season when he was a freshman All-American as a starter, has battled shoulder soreness since being benched after last season’s SEC tournament.
His road back this season has been tedious. Friday’s series opener was just his fifth start of the year. In early April on consecutive SEC weekends against Missouri (as a reliever) and Florida (as a starter), he allowed a combined 11 runs on 14 hits in 6.1 innings.
Hilliard got the start against the Rebels because Mainieri announced earlier this week he was moving Hess back to the bullpen.
Also, freshman Cole Henry, LSU’s most consistent starter with a 4-2 record and 3.26 ERA who was to replace Hess in the starting rotation, was sidelined for a second straight week with arm soreness.
So that left Hilliard, the team’s most experienced starting pitcher with 16 starts, as Mainieri’s stop gap choice. Mainieri and pitching coach Alan Dunn wanted at least five innings from Hilliard before dipping into bullpen.
Mainieri was also hoping the LSU bats would provide early offensive support, a sore spot for the Tigers in SEC series openers this season. Prior to facing the Rebels, LSU had been outscored 22-10 in the first three innings of its seven previous league series openers.
As it turned out, LSU gave Hilliard a 3-1 lead before he exited after four innings, giving up six hits and two runs while striking out four and walking none. He allowed four hits in the first seven batters he faced, then retired nine straight before giving up consecutive singles to lead off the Ole Miss fifth.
Hess immediately gave up a run that was charged to Hilliard, then induced a double-play grounder and a strike out to end the inning.
Once the Wild Thing got in rhythm, the Tigers were on their way to the victory that sets up Saturday's 6 p.m. game two battle as a series-clinching win for LSU.