
Since the start of full-squad workouts in January, the LSU baseball team has had nothing but positive news. Coach Jay Johnson and the players’ reports were glowing, and the team backed that assessment with nearly a perfect opening weekend.
But it’s baseball and this is a tough sport, where hitters go through struggles and bullpens have bad innings.
That happened Saturday afternoon in the first game of a doubleheader against Omaha. LSU gave up five runs in the seventh inning and didn’t have a hit until the eighth inning in a 5-4 loss to the Mavericks.
But the Tigers responded by winning the second game of the doubleheader on Saturday night 12-1 to take the series two games to one.
LSU had a stretch where they didn’t score from the sixth inning in game one of the series to the eighth inning in game two.
“I felt like there was a little bit of frustration that carried over from one at-bat to the next, we have to be better than that, we have to make it through tougher stretches a little bit better to be an elite team,” Johnson said.
At one point in game two, LSU had seven straight pop-outs or fly balls.
“Gotta out of getting position to hit, getting in position to see the ball, seeing the right part of the ball, attacking the right part of the ball, expanding the zone too much,” Johnson said.
Despite LSU’s struggles at the plate and the rough seventh inning from the bullpen in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Tigers nearly won as they scored four runs in the ninth inning and had the tying run at third base with one out.
But Ashton Larson struck out and Steven Milam flew out to end the game.
Milam went 0-for-5 in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader but rebounded in game two with a three-hit performance, including a double to raise his batting average to .292 on the young season.
“I think he moved back towards on track in that second game,” Johnson said.
Johnson said it was a positive to see the team respond following the loss by blowing out the Mavericks. He said that was one of the great characteristics of the 2023 national championship team. Whenever that team lost, they bounced back in a big way in the following game.
Johnson said he was also encouraged by the play of catcher Luis Hernandez, who had three doubles over the weekend. He’s also showing he’s a better defender than freshman catcher Cade Arrambide.
LSU continues to play clean defense in the field. The only errors on the weekend were a throwing error by relief pitcher Connor Benge and Ryan Costello dropped a foul ball after subbing in for Jared Jones at first base in the final game of the series.
The Tigers also continue to get great starting pitching. Anthony Eyanson, Chase Shores, and Kade Anderson have allowed just four runs on the season over a combined 31.1 innings.
Johnson is eager to play five games this week as he looks to sort out roles in his bullpen and the battle for playing time in right field, catcher, and designated hitter.
Johnson is also experimenting with the lead-off position. After Chris Stanfield struck out three times on Friday, Johnson had two different lead-off hitters in the doubleheader, Daniel Dickinson and Tanner Reaves.
Reaves started at third base for Michael Braswell, who is off to a slow start with the bat, hitting just .176.
Johnson wants to give Reaves more at-bats. He believes Reaves is a winning player who gets on base a ton.
LSU’s busy week starts Monday with a home game against Nicholls then it’s off to Texas to play 20th-ranked Dallas Baptist in Arlington on Wednesday night, and then it’s three games in Frisco against Kansas State, 23rd-ranked Nebraska, and Sam Houston.
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