LSU baseball took home three wins over SEC foe Missouri this weekend. On Saturday, LSU’s lone starting senior Tyler McManus showed off his college baseball experience and went 3-3 at the plate, had two RBIs, and scored three runs for the Purple and Gold.
Right-handed pitcher Samuel Dutton started on the mound for LSU, but Missouri took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when left fielder Trevor Austin smacked a two-run home run. Dutton only lasted 1.2 innings and gave up three hits on 39 pitches. Right-hander Bryce Collins, the second of six LSU pitchers, earned the win as he worked 2.2 innings and limited Missouri to one run on three hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
LSU tied the game in the third inning when designated hitter Brayden Jobert unloaded a solo homer, his 12th of the season, and third baseman Jacob Berry delivered an RBI single that scored Tyler McManus.
LSU took the lead in the fourth inning and scored three runs when McManus lined a two-run double that drove Thompson and Jobert across home plate. Josh Pearson provided a run-scoring single that scored McManus a second time.
Collins gave up a run in the top of the fifth inning and Eric Reyzelman came in to strand Missouri baserunners on first and second base. Berry smacked a solo home run 404 feet, his 13th of the season, to increase the advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning to 6-3.
LSU added another run in the seventh inning on an RBI double by first baseman Tre’ Morgan that scored Berry, but Missouri staged a rally in the top of the eighth inning. Reyzelman hit the first batter with a pitch and walked the second batter. Paul Gervase was called in to get the Purple and Gold out of the pickle.
Runners advanced on a wild pitch from Gervase and the next batter flew out, but Montgomery tagged up and scored. Gervase hit the following batter with a pitch and Missouri then began its rally with an RBI single from Coletta on an error by shortstop Jordan Thompson.
Continuing the rally, Wilmsmeyer singled to load the bases and Devin Fontenot was called in to relieve Gervase. With the bases loaded, Fontenot walked Austin and De Sadas scored.
Riley Cooper came in to shut the door on the comeback and forced the third out of the inning with the bases loaded. However, the damage was done after a three-run inning from Missouri and LSU’s lead dwindled to one run. The score read 7-6 for LSU.
In the bottom half of the eighth, McManus delivered his third hit of the game on as many at-bats with a stand-up triple to the centerfield wall that Missouri’s centerfielder lost in the sun. Pearson then lined a single through the center and McManus scored his third run of the game.
“Hitting well is fun, but just being at the ballpark with the boys every day is even more fun,” McManus said. “It is the reason why I came here, especially being my last year. You take advantage of it every day.”
Cooper did not allow a hit in the top of the ninth inning, was credited with the save and finished off Missouri to give LSU the win 8-6.
“Riley is such an asset to our team; he has a chance to impact 2-3 wins per week,” LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson said. “He’s a star, and I don’t think you could ask anybody to do any more than he’s doing for us.”
LSU improved to 27-12 overall and 10-8 in the SEC. Missouri dropped to 22-15 overall and 5-13 in conference play. The Purple and Gold return to action at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday when they play at the University of New Orleans in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on ESPN+.
“I’m very proud of the team, I think we grew this week,” said Johnson, whose club also defeated UL-Lafayette, 8-4, on Tuesday night. “We beat a top 50 RPI team on Tuesday and earned three wins over a top 25 RPI team this weekend, that’s awesome. These are the weeks you love, and I’d like to give a special thanks to our fans for coming out and supporting us all week.”
