The LSU baseball team fell to Texas A&M in game two of their three game series at Alex Box Stadium on Saturday night.
LSU maintained at least a one run difference for the majority of the game. The Aggies, however, were able to pull away from this gap and take the lead in the top of the ninth inning, scoring four runs total in just this inning alone.
Tiger fans saw a ton of familiar faces on the mound in this game. Blake Money started after a few games off due to a minor wrist injury. His gap in play time was apparent though, as in his 3.1 innings, he allowed six hits and four runs, striking out four and walking three. Five pitchers followed Money, ranging from veteran Trent Vietmier to Arizona newcomer Bryce Collins, to Garrett Edwards, who closed things up for the Tigers. Ten walks from the LSU pitching staff quickly became one of the Tigers’ biggest downfalls of this game.
Texas A&M got an early jump on LSU when its second baseman doubled to right-center. A walk from Money and a single on a bunt attempt from the lead-off batter loaded the bases. Two fly outs from the next batters put two runs on the board for the Aggies. The Tigers quickly responded though when left fielder Giovanni DiGiacomo sent a bomb over the right-centerfield wall. His shot was a two run RBI, tying up the game in just the second inning. This streak continued in the third inning with centerfielder Dylan Crews, who wanted a homer of his own. The Tigers had earned one run over the Aggies.
Texas A&M’s bats rallied quickly in the fourth inning. Before Money was replaced by Riley Cooper on the mound, he gave up two singles and a triple while also striking out one and walking one. In just those hits alone, the damage had already been done. The Aggies had picked up a one run lead to which the Tigers responded silently to. They widened the gap in the fifth inning when a few fielding errors , a walk, and a single to deep center allowed for two more runs. Vietmier was then called to the mound for Cooper.
Catcher Tyler McManus came in clutch for the Tigers in the fifth inning with his second homer of the season, both of which he hit in this series. Infielders Jacob Berry and Cade Doughty both doubled to left field; Doughty drove Berry in. LSU was now down by one.
In the seventh inning, Collins was called from the bullpen for Vietmier, who had two runners in scoring positions. Collins walked his first batter but struck out the second. Unfortunately, the third strike had slipped past McManus on the reception, giving the batter first base and allowing a runner on third to slip past home plate. The gap in runs was now widened to seven Aggie runs and five from the Tigers.
The TAMU pitcher quickly gave up the lead to the Tigers in the ninth inning. After striking out Doughty and Gavin Dugas, he went on to walk three batters. McManus came in clutch once again with a big hit through the right side; a two run RBI that tied the game.
LSU defense fell short in the ninth inning, which was arguably the most important one. Veteran Devin Fontenot, usually utilized as the closer, was called to the mound for Collins. He started off his time on the mound with a walk. A major turning point for the Aggies became apparent when Berry overthrew first baseman Tre’ Morgan in a routine ground ball. Fontenot’s walked batter broke the tie in this play alone. This one run was just enough to get the TAMU offense fired up. The Aggies continued the rally with two singles and a double, giving them four runs from these three hits. Defeat seemed to rake through the Tiger offense after such a big inning from the Aggies. They finished the game with two strikeouts, a walk, and a groundout to second base. The final score was 11 runs for Texas A&M and seven for LSU.
The groundwork of LSU’s defense has shown major cracks; cracks that if not soon repaired, will be a major hindrance to any hope of winning in SEC play, especially against big opponents like Texas A&M. Head Coach Jay Johnson is hoping to refine the details of his athletes’ play immediately.
“That’s what this whole program is built on,” Johnson stated, in regards to these details. “This game exposes things. Tonight, we walked batters and then made two critical errors. You’re not going to win a game against a quality opponent with 15 free bases. It was a miracle to be at seven to seven in the eight inning.”
Johnson says that if his team wants to avoid a complete sweep in the series, all they really need to do to take game three is to compete.
“This is about just showing up as your best self and playing the game with better fundamentals than we’ve shown throughout the year,” he explained. “Regardless of what happens in game three, there’s so much that we need to do to get better. That’s coming in practice on Monday, but in game three, we can’t fit all of that in before and make it happen. You just have to decide to show up and compete.”
LSU will have one final chance to do just that; compete against Texas A&M in game three of their first series in SEC play. The first pitch is set to take place today, March 20 at 2 p.m., right here at Alex Box Stadium. Fans at home can watch live via ESPN.
