LSU baseball beat North Dakota State University 6-1 on Tuesday at Alex Box Stadium.
Not many teams can boast the talent of more than one catcher. LSU however, boasts the talent of three. All three of those Tigers were instrumental in the win.
LSU held the Bisons to just one run with four separate pitchers. Javen Coleman threw the most at just three innings. With significant changes to the batting order, LSU was still able to deliver offensively.
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NDSU got its only run of the night off a pair of hits in the first inning. Despite several opportunities, it wouldn’t score the rest of the game.
An abnormal three-catcher roster dominated in the second inning. A Hayden Travinski double, Brady Neal hit-by-pitch and Alex Milazzo single amounted to two runs for the Tigers.
First baseman Jared Jones put up the only run in the third with a solo home run. It was his sixth of the season.
Of the last three runs, Milazzo drove in one and Neal claimed two. LSU’s catchers powered the offense all night.
Neal finished 3-3 with a double and two RBI. He started in right field, but his presence was undeniable. Neal scored or drove in four of LSU’s six runs.
“He did a really good job tonight, specifically just getting his pitch,” head coach Jay Johnson said.
Neal said after the game that waiting for the right pitches in his at-bats is something he’s been trying to improve on since last weekend. Against the Bison, that work paid off.
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Jones had a strong performance as well. In four plate appearances, he noted two walks and a home run.
Leadoff hitter Paxton Kling went 0-4 with three strikeouts. Kling had a minor injury on a hit-by-pitch last Saturday.
Though he didn’t start, Loer earned the win. He threw 2.1 innings allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. Loer entered in the fourth inning with two outs and bases loaded. He stamped in a strikeout to close up that inning.
In the last three innings, Coleman allowed just one hit and struck out five batters, solidifying the LSU victory.
A committee approach on the mound and strong offense from catchers brought LSU the 6-1 win over NDSU.
