LSU players will do just about anything to get on base

It has been a mantra of Jay Johnson ever since he became LSU’s head baseball coach in June 2021.

Win the free base war.

“We want to walk, (get) hit-by pitches, make less errors than our opponents, advance on balls in the dirt, steal bases when it allows,” Johnson said. “If you win those categories, you'd be amazed at how little else you have to do to win the game.”

You’ll be hard pressed to find two teams more hell bent to do anything to get on base than LSU, the No. 5 national seed and No. 12 national seed Kentucky, which meet in an NCAA tourney Super Regional starting Saturday at 2 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium

The Tigers are ranked second nationally in on-base percentage at .438, thanks in large part to being 14th nationally in batting average (.314), eighth in walks drawn (357) and fourth in hit by pitches (126).

Kentucky is second in the SEC in on-base percentage at .418 and second nationally and first in the SEC ahead of LSU in hit by pitches (130).

In fact, LSU and Kentucky players account for five of top seven hit-by-pitch leaders in the SEC, topped by Tigers’ second baseman Gavin Dugas (27, ranking fourth nationally) and UK center fielder Jackson Gray (25, tied for sixth nationally).

While Dugas confirmed in Wednesday's media opportunity that his body is constellation of bruises, he’s not budging when a pitch dips in on him in the batter's box.

“I love it,” he said of being plunked. “I don’t try to get hit on purpose, but if I can get on base somehow, I’ll do it that.”

LSU batters have been hit by pitches 351 times in 123 games under Johnson, 2.85 per game.

According to Tigers’ designated hitter Cade Beloso, Johnson’s recipe for his players getting continually hit is simple.

“We’re taught to not move our feet,” said Beloso, who has been hit by nine pitches this season. “We’ve bought into it because we’re trying to lead the country in on-base percentage this year.

“Four times a week (in practice), we throw wiffle balls at each and it’s like a force of habit to turn away from the ball and not move your feet.

“There are some spots (on a batter’s body when hit by a pitch) that hurt worse than others. If you get hit in the ribs, it’s going to hurt pretty bad. This past weekend (in the Baton Rouge Regionals), I got hit by a 96 (miles per hour pitch) by one of their (Oregon State’s) lefties.

“Chief (LSU first base coach Mark Wanaka) is trying to talk to me and I’m like `Dude, you’ve got to stop for two seconds. Please stop talking to me.’”

Beleso said the one LSU player who takes getting hit by pitches personally is third baseman Tommy White. He often spikes his bat in disgust en route to first base with a occasional sideways glare at the opposing pitcher.

“Tommy’s a fiery dude,” Beloso said “and he gets mad when he gets hit by the pitch because he feels like they take away his opportunity to hit.

“It’s funny, but we know he’s not going to fight the pitcher. It’s his way of getting energized.”

Beloso said earlier this season baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, who holds the major league record for most consecutive games played (2,632) spoke to the LSU team.

“We asked him about a bunch of questions,” Beloso said, like `What’s your mentality that you have to bring to the field when game 1,520 rolls around? Are you hurting? Are you bruised?’

“He said, `To be honest, I never bruised.’

“I thought that was the craziest thing ever. They don’t make them like him anymore.”

LSU’s penchant for being walked by opposing pitchers is due to Johnson teaching his team to take what he calls “professional at-bats.” LSU center fielder Dylan Crews ranks first in the SEC and fourth nationally with 61 walks in 61 games.

“For the past few years since Coach Johnson has been here, he's preached `We're gonna take balls and crush mistakes’,” LSU shortstop Jordan Thompson said.

The Tigers have drawn 667 walks (5.4 per game) under Johnson. He likes tinker with his batting order, but as he heads into the Super Regional vs. UK he seems to have settled into a lineup he likes.

“I just think you’re looking at the guys as of today that take really professional winning type of bats that move the offense,” Johnson said.