After winning the Round Rock Classic title, top-ranked LSU baseball remained in Texas and traveled to Austin for a Tuesday night matchup with the Texas Longhorns.
Texas played three SEC opponents in its first seven games to start the season and struggled to a 3-4 record with losses to Arkansas, Missouri, Vanderbilt and Indiana, but the Tigers knew they were still in for a tough mid-week battle.
Texas’ starting right-handed pitcher Lebarron Johnson Jr. did his part in preventing an easy LSU win. Johnson threw five shutout innings and nine strikeouts while only allowing three hits and two walks.
Starting right-handed pitcher Thatcher Hurd kept LSU in the game early on defense. He lasted 4.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and silenced the Longhorn fans at Disch-Falk Field by only giving up three hits.
Left-handed reliever Nate Ackenhausen made his second appearance on the mound this season in the fifth inning and was credited with his first win. He worked through 3.1 scoreless innings with four strikeouts, one hit and one walk.
Beginning the final inning of the ballgame, the scoreboard was knotted at zero. Each team had one more chance to score and LSU took advantage.
Texas’ closer Chris Stuart entered the game and walked his first two batters, catcher Brady Neal and shortstop Jordan Thompson. Stuart struck out Ben Nippolt for the first out of the inning and then closer Andre Duplantier II came into the game.
Hitting out of the first position in the batting order and in front of projected top pick Dylan Crews, senior second baseman Gavin Dugas smacked a clutch, three-run home run over the left field wall for LSU’s only runs of the game.
“That was awesome, a great at-bat by Gavin,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson. “To win games like this against a good team in an environment like this, your dudes have to be dudes, and he was in that moment. Gavin is tough-minded; he had some setbacks last year and going into this year, but he got himself ready to play, and he’s playing better now than he ever has. All credit to him for his determination.”
The pitch was intended for him to hit into a double play because Texas did not want LSU’s most consistent hitter, Crews, to have a chance to win the game as he was up to bat next.
LSU called on Vanderbilt transfer Christian Little to close out the final half inning and ensure they left Austin with a 3-0 victory. Little retired the side in order, putting a cap on dramatic win for LSU.
“This was a great experience for our team,” Johnson said. “Going into SEC play in a couple of weeks, we’re going to see the same environments we saw tonight. It won’t be new to us the next time we play on the road in front of a big crowd in a great atmosphere. The players were energized throughout the game, and it was a blast.”
This game is only the 10th time since 1933 that LSU has played in a scoreless game through the first eight innings. LSU’s record in such games is 7-2-1.
LSU baseball will return home to Baton Rouge and be back in action on Friday at 6:30 p.m. when it begins a four-game weekend against Butler and Central Connecticut State.
