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Strong start from Eric Walker fuels LSU in 7-1 game one win over Auburn

In need of a quality start from one of its veteran pitchers, sophomore Eric Walker delivered with a phenomenal six inning outing that helped LSU knock off Auburn in game one 7-1.

LSU (33-21, 16-12) came into Thursday night’s opener in a tie for fifth place in the SEC with Ole Miss so the importance of the weekend’s matchup was already magnified.

Auburn was able to drive up Walker’s pitch count right from the start as the first three batters of the game had eight and nine pitch at bats, leaving the junior at 22 pitches with only one recorded out. If someone had told Walker that he’d be able to last five more innings and allow just one run the rest of the night, Walker would’ve thought the idea was crazy.

“The first inning was very disheartening,” Walker said. “I kind of came in the dugout, took a deep breath and I think the best I’ve done this year is when I just relax and not try to do too much.”

The defense, which had been pretty consistent over the last few weeks, took a nosedive by committing two errors in the first three innings, one of which led directly to Auburn’s first run of the game. Walker, despite the defensive struggles in the early innings, turned in perhaps his best performance of the season as the sophomore allowed one run, two hits and five strikeouts in six innings of work.

Walker was replaced in the seventh for Todd Peterson and walked off to a standing ovation to the Alex Box faithful, leaving to some of the loudest possible roars the stadium can muster. While Walker said it’s been two years since he’s received those kinds of cheers, he was glad to get back to an all too familiar feeling.

“It’s been two year but that was awesome tonight,” Walker said. “It definitely was good to hear that.”

“I thought Eric Walker was the key to the game,” coach Paul Mainieri said. “He made some big pitches and I felt confident our guys were going to be able to swing the bat and I was more concerned about his pitch count after two innings. But he found it and I thought he was really great the second through sixth inning.”

LSU was able to make up for its early mistakes on defense by producing a four run third inning, where the team nearly batted around the order. What was more impressive was that the run started and ended with the Tigers facing two outs and consisted of five straight singles, beginning with nine hole hitter and catcher Saul Garza.

Another strong start to the third inning, led off by Cade Beloso’s ninth homerun of the year and followed by hits from Garza and Zach Watson chased Auburn starter Elliott Anderson out of the game.

Garza in particular has been seeing the ball real well of recent, producing a 3-for-4 day on Thursday including a solo home run in the sixth inning that’s probably still traveling through the humid night air. Over his last seven games, the sophomore transfer has homered four times and said he’s feeling more confident than ever at the plate.

“I feel really confident right now and all the hitters are doing a great job,” Garza said. “When the other guys are hitting well it makes you feel that much more confident.”

“He swung the bat really well tonight,” Mainieri said. “It would be really beneficial to our team if Saul Garza has a lot of days like that the rest of the year.”

Garza’s ball traveled 434 feet and followed by Antoine Duplantis 11th homerun of the season over the right field fence.

LSU issued back-to-back walks to open the seventh inning but was saved by some brilliant defensive play, starting with the player of the game, Garza. After letting a ball skip by him, the sophomore was able to pick it up and throw out an indecisive Auburn baserunner trying to steal home.

The play once again sparked another electric reaction from the crowd as the Tigers stranded two runners on base. Peterson would rebound from an up and down inning command wise to strike out two batters in the eighth before Aaron George sealed the game in the ninth.

LSU will look to take the series Friday night at 7 p.m. with freshman Landon Marceaux on the mound.

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