No. 1 Tigers score seven unanswered runs in 10-4 win over UCA
For the first time this season in a non-conference home game, No. 1 LSU experienced a momentary brush with drama.
A four-run University of Central Arkansas fourth inning gave the Bears a one-run lead but the Tigers responded with seven runs in their next three-at bats for a 10-4 victory Tuesday night in Alex Box Stadium.
LSU shortstop Jordan Thompson’s three-run homer in the fifth inning broke a 4-4 tie as the Tigers improved to 19-2 after they had a 13-game win streak snapped at Texas A&M Sunday afternoon.
“He's just as clutch as can be and he’s been one of the most important players here in my short tenure,” LSU second-year head coach Jay Johnson said of Thompson. "I just trust him. I think his at-bats this year have been better than the results."
LSU, which opens its first SEC home series Friday night vs. No. 5 Arkansas (19-2, 3-0 SEC with a current 14-game win streak), banged 13 hits off four Bears’ pitchers. Thompson, right fielder Josh Pearson, center fielder Dylan Crews and first baseman Tre’ Morgan had two hits each.
Freshman reliever Griffin Herring, the second of six LSU pitchers, earned the first pitching win of his college career.
"I think he's going to be a star this year in SEC play as we move forward and one of the staples of the pitching rotation here for years to come.," Johnson said of Herring. "The pitching talent is easy to see, but the mindset he has is elite.
"He's done a really good job of being patient and staying focused on what he can control. He's had four outings and three of them have been really good for us. He will be on the mound at some point in the series against Arkansas."
Tuesday's game started as a typical workmanlike gradual LSU beatdown.
Crews hammered UCA starting pitcher Oliver Laufman’s eighth pitch of the game for a two-run homer, catcher Alex Milazzo added a sacrifice bunt RBI in the second and LSU starting pitcher Blake Money retired nine straight batters through three innings.
But Money came absolutely unglued in the UCA fourth when centerfielder Kade Seldomridge led off with a double and designated hitter Tyler Monroe followed with an RBI.
Money was on the verge of escaping the inning by retiring the next two batters on fly outs. But then he walked UCA third baseman AJ Mendolia and was yanked after serving home up a two-run homer to left fielder Dylan Cyn for a 4-3 UCA lead.
Herring, who had thrown just 2.2 innings in four previous relief appearances, replaced Money and began hanging zeroes on the UCA batting order. He retired seven of eight UCA batters, allowing a hit and striking out three in 2.1 innings.
Meanwhile, LSU’s bats reheated with a Pearson RBI in the Tigers’ fourth inning three runs each in the fifth and sixth innings.
Thompson’s two-out, three-run homer for 7-4 Tigers’ lead in the fifth scored first baseman Morgan and second baseman Gavin Dugas, who both led off the inning with consecutive walks.
In the LSU sixth, the Tigers pieced together three walks for a trio of runs off two UCA relievers. After Crews scored on balk by UCA reliever Tre Gregson, a throwing error by UCA catcher Noah Argenta scored Dugas and Morgan.
UCA (11-9) loaded the bases in the ninth inning but couldn't score.
Now, it's on to the SEC home opening showdown series vs. Arkansas with the first game set Friday night at 7.
"This is one of the beasts that we've got to slay to get back to the top," Johnson said. "When I took this job, this (Arkansas) was always one of the programs like a year-to-year thing. They're always going to recruit. They're one of the best recruiting programs in the country and thus been one of the most successful programs in the country. So, I'm excited for the weekend. I know our players are excited for the weekend. It's going to be a great matchup."