The top ranked LSU Tigers defeated the Central Arkansas Bears with excellent defense and clutch home runs. Tuesday night’s matchup was the first ever meeting between the two schools.
Central Arkansas drops to an 11-9 record and LSU improves to 19-2 on the season.
The Tigers’ offense scored the first three runs of the game. Junior centerfielder Dylan Crews blasted a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, in the bottom of the first inning. Junior catcher Alex Milazzo added another run to the lead in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice bunt.
The Bears’ offense responded in the fourth inning with a four-run rally. Junior designated hitter Tyler Monroe smacked an RBI triple and then scored himself. Senior left fielder Dylan Cyr gave the Bears their only lead of the ball game with a two-run home run. Alex Box Stadium’s lack of noise began to show fans’ concern for the final score.
Sophomore right fielder Josh Pearson, who head coach Jay Johnson has voiced trust in, answered the rally with an RBI single to third base.
In the second half of the ball game, LSU’s bats were too much for the Bears’ pitching. After walks from freshman designated hitter Jared Jones and junior left fielder Brayden Jobert, junior shortstop Jordan Thompson lined a three-run homer, his second of the season, to give the Tigers a 7-4 lead.
LSU’s offense put three insurance runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, all of which were unearned. Crews scored on a balk and Jobert reached on a throwing error by catcher Noah Argenta which scored junior first baseman Tre’ Morgan and senior second baseman Gavin Dugas. This score of 10-4 going into the seventh inning held until the end of the ninth.
Johnson and his coaching staff went with junior right-handed pitcher Blake Money to start the game. This was his first start of the season. Money retired his first nine batters of the ball game before he allowed that four-run rally in the fourth inning. He was relieved after 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on three hits and only two strikeouts.
Freshman left-hander Griffin Herring provided the Tigers’ defense with 2.1 solid innings of pitching following Money’s performance. He only allowed one hit with three strikeouts and was credited with his first win of the season.
Central Arkansas used four pitchers in the first six innings of the game.
LSU’s offense ranks number one in scoring average. The Tigers’ most consistent hitter, Crews, extended his hit streak to 19 games. He is also the best in the country for on-base percentage. Third baseman Tommy White, who was named SEC player of the week, leads the nation in RBIs per game.
Defensively, LSU ranks number one in shutouts and hits allowed. The Tigers sit at number two in fielding percentage.
Next up for LSU baseball will be a three-game series in Alex Box Stadium against the Arkansas Razorbacks which begins Friday at 7 p.m. CT.
The Tigers will be looking for revenge after a series sweep for the Razorbacks in Arkansas last year. This was the first time since 2011 Arkansas had swept LSU baseball in a three-game series.
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