The LSU Tigers managed to close out their regular-season home schedule with a 7-4 win Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium over McNeese State, but it did not come easily.
The Tigers (40-12) were shaky defensively with four errors. Starting pitcher Blake Money gave up three earned runs on five straight hits during his last inning of work, and Thatcher Hurd faced the go-ahead run with the bases loaded in the ninth before inducing a groundout from Payton Harden to preserve the win.
LSU had nine hits but also benefited from free bases. The Tigers drew six walks and were hit by six pitches.
In the first inning, Tommy White’s RBI double scored Tre’ Morgan, who had reached on a wild pitch after a swinging strikeout.
Hayden Travinski was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the second and Brayden Jobert walked after him. Both runners advanced on a sacrifice by Jordan Thompson. Travinski stole home on a squeeze attempt by Alex Milazzo when the McNeese catcher couldn’t handle the pitch, which also allowed Jobert to steal third. Jobert scored when Milazzo grounded out to make it 3-0.
Money worked through two scoreless innings despite his defense making two errors behind him, but Cowboys (32-19) came to life in the third. After he retired the first two batters, McNeese strung together five straight singles to tie the game 3-3.
The Cowboys took a brief lead in the top of the sixth when LSU allowed two runners to reach via errors. The first was when left-handed reliever Griffin Herring struggled to field a comebacker. He then gave up a single before second baseman Gavin Dugas’ fielding error loaded the bases. Designated hitter Tre’ Obregon reached on a fielder’s choice and drove in a run for a 4-3 lead before the Tigers came out swinging in the bottom of the frame.
Despite the three runs, LSU had only two hits through five innings. That changed when Cade Beloso and Travinski clocked back-to-back home runs to start the sixth for a 5-4 edge.
Beloso flipped his bat when he hammered the ball to the right-field diamond deck on a full count. That was an awakening for Beloso, who had batted .190 (4 for 21) in the past two weeks against Auburn, Northwestern State and Mississippi State. He went 2 for 4 against McNeese.
Travinski, who has emerged as a strong facet of the lineup, is now batting .436 through 24 games played. His solo shot to left-center was his sixth home run this season.
LSU added two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on Dylan Crews’ RBI single and White’s sac fly.
Herring, Sam Dutton, Gavin Guidry and Hurd combined to allow one unearned run on six hits while walking three and striking out five for LSU. McNeese stranded 16 base runners in the game.
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