With the way LSU has been playing lately, low scoring games haven’t been too common this season. LSU bats tend to knock up opposing pitchers, and the LSU staff hasn’t found the consistency that they’ve wanted this season.
That wasn’t the case Friday night in a game LSU needed to have. Ma’Khail Hilliard put in one of the best games of his career on the mound, carrying the Tigers over Auburn to a 9-2 win in Game Two of the series. Hilliard went for 5.1 IP, allowed four hits, and earned seven strikeouts with just two walks and no runs allowed. He was two strikeouts shy of tying his career high of nine.
Up and down the order, Hilliard dominated batters with command of his fastball, painting the corners, and keeping Auburn guessing. When it was time to mix things up, he wasn’t afraid to go his knee-buckling curve or his newly developed changeup. The fifth-year senior has struggled at times this season, coming into the game with a 5.73 ERA and 5.63 FIP. He’s also had the highest HR/9 on the team with 1.94 going into Friday’s game. He missed a few starts early in the season, but it may all be coming back one of the best veteran presences LSU has.
“He’s just got poise and competitiveness,” Jay Johnson said. “The leadoff guy is a great player. He hits a leadoff double and it’s a game followed with strikeout, strikeout, groundout. That was a pivotal point in the game today. Really pleased with our pitchers, and he certainly started it off.”
“I love the way we’re pitching right now, and I just try to keep going out and doing the same thing every day, staying consistent with my routine and getting in and getting out,” Hilliard said.
Dylan Crews led the offensive attack early with a 2-3 night and with two RBIs, one of them off a crushed home run in the first inning to right field. Cade Doughty was responsible for the other run LSU scored in the first half of the game, off a double into left center that scored Hayden Travinski.
LSU’s bullpen came in and took care of business themselves. Hilliard was in a jam in the fifth with two runners on and just one out. Grant Taylor entered the game in relief and quickly picked a strikeout on a fury of fastballs that kept Auburn DH Brooks Carlson tardy. Next batter, Mike Bello, hit a high popup deep down the left line, where he found Gavin Dugas charging underneath and making a leaping, sensational grab to end Auburn’s threat.
Taylor faced some trouble in the seventh and was relieved by Paul Gervase at first, who struggled a bit, which is uncharacteristic for him. LSU’s lead shrunk to one but was saved by flamethrower Eric Reyzelman, who blasted 98 mph fastballs past SS Brody Moore for the Tigers’ third out.
LSU opened the floodgates in the bottom of the seventh. In a manner similar to Auburn’s six run onslaught the night before, LSU dropped five runs on the visiting Tigers, all scored with two outs. Jacob Berry delivered an RBI double, followed by RBI doubles from Jordan Thompson and Gavin Dugas. The Box erupted with energy as their Tigers finally pulled away for good.
“I feel like it’s going to be tough to get around this lineup three or four times,” Crews said. “We’re definitely going to capitalize late in the games and just really proud of our guys today with how they came in and responded in the seventh inning.”
LSU’s rubber match series finale against Auburn is at 1:00 PM tomorrow afternoon. Ty Floyd will most likely the LSU starter on the mound. The game will be televised on SECN+ and available on the LSU Sports Radio Network.