Marred in nasty hitting slumps that dipped their batting averages below .200, LSU juniors JaCoby Jones and Ty Ross devised a plan with hitting coach Javi Sanchez in preparing for Kentucky’s gauntlet of left-handed pitchers.
The plan worked to perfection.
With one sporting new attire and both with a new outlook at the dish, the duo broke out of its doldrums, notching five combined hits to pace the Tigers’ (28-2, 9-1 Southeastern Conference) 11-1 throttling of No. 7 Kentucky on Friday.
Jones, wearing his socks high for the first time all season, stroked two singles and a double – driving in two runs and scoring another to break a 1-for-28 dry spell.
After three flawless frames from LSU sophomore starter Aaron Nola, the Tigers cashed in Ross’ leadoff single in the third as freshman shortstop Alex Bregman skied a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it 1-0.
Nola got some assistance in the third from freshman outfielder Mark Laird, who raced over to make a dazzling diving catch for the first out after junior Sean McMullen lost the ball in the lights – eliciting a roaring ovation from the 7,433 in Alex Box Stadium.
“That was the best catch I’ve ever seen from a center fielder,” Bregman said. “I think he shocked every single person in Alex Box Stadium with that play.”
The always accurate Nola was uncharacteristically erratic in the fourth, walking three Wildcats to load the bases before Kentucky right fielder Kyle Barrett sent a lazy fly ball to centerfield to avert any damage.
Kentucky (22-7, 6-4 SEC) made Nola pay in the fifth, sandwiching two singles between a hit batsmen, the damaging blow being a 1-out RBI screamer from lead off man Austin Cousino to knot the game at one.
“I was kind of everywhere [in those two innings],” Nola said. “I couldn’t command my pitches real well. But I made the right pitch in the right situation to get out of the innings.”
It would be all Tigers from there as they plated 10 runs in the next three innings, beginning with an infield single from junior third baseman Christian Ibarra which scored Laird and senior left fielder Raph Rhymes after an errant throw to first.
One hitter later, Jones would make it 5-1 with a 2-RBI single through the third base side, scoring Ibarra and senior first baseman Mason Katz as Jones let out a lively celebration at first base.
“It all built up I guess,” Jones said of his celebration. “It [finally] found a hole for me and I just let out my emotions. It felt real good.”
Rhymes and Katz broke the game open in the sixth, lacing consecutive RBI singles to push the LSU lead to 8-1 off of Kentucky reliever Dylan Dwyer.
Bregman added an RBI triple in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 18 games and bring Laird home for his third run of the game.
As the Tiger bats were exploding, Nola settled down to limit the Wildcats to four hits on the evening, striking out seven in seven innings of work before giving way to junior reliever Will LaMarche, who worked two scoreless innings to end the game.
“I thought our guys battled really hard and had some great at-bats,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “This score was not indicative of the type of game this was. This was a very tough game.”
After watching countless hard-hit balls go just foul or right at opposing fielders in the past few weeks, Jones admitted it was hard to stay positive at the plate.
But, as Jones and Mainieri have harped on all season, the Richton, Ms. native’s maturation shone through.
“I know my past,” Jones said. “If I was a freshman [and this happened], I would probably break 15 helmets, throw bats, holler at people. I didn’t want to be selfish, but I knew they’d fall some time.”
