For the second night in a row, top ranked LSU run ruled the Samford Bulldogs with solid pitching and powerful hitting to clinch the first series ever between the schools.
LSU’s bats combined for five home runs and the outcome was never in question with seven scoreless innings by the Tigers’ bullpen.
Junior right-handed pitcher Ty Floyd started on the mound for LSU and immediately showed why he was selected as the Saturday night starter. Floyd, (3-0) threw 86 pitches with six strikeouts in five innings and didn’t allow a single hit. Sophomore left-hander Nate Ackenhausen relieved Floyd and finished the final two innings of the ball game by only allowing one hit.
“That was an impressive game by our team,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “Ty pitched great, throwing all of his pitches for strikes, and he usually ended up with a strikeout or weak contact. It started there, and Nate came in and showed why he’s been one of our better pitchers this season.”
In the bottom of the first inning, junior centerfielder Dylan Crews smoked a two-run home run, his fourth of the season, to right field after leadoff hitter Paxton Kling hit a stand up double in the Tiger’s first at-bat. Freshman first baseman Jared Jones kept the rally going when he blasted a three-run home run to right center which scored Brady Neal and Tommy White.
Jones bombed another three-run home run over the center field wall in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Jones’ second home run of the game marked the fourth straight at-bat in which he put a ball over the wall. He also accounted for half of LSU’s runs with six RBI’s.
The next batter, junior third baseman Brayden Jobert, hit a ball into the right field bleachers for a solo home run, his fourth of the season. The scoreboard read 9-0 after three innings.
“The offense tonight was about as impressive as it could be. All Jared has done the past two days is show how talented he is: he’s really mentally strong. I give him a lot of credit; I’ve seen young players go in the tank after a couple of difficult games, but Jared has been really impressive, not just physically but the work that he put in mentally,” Johnson said. ”When he’s in the right frame of mind, he’s seeing the ball, he’s got the bat speed, and he can hit the ball out to all parts of the field as we’ve seen the past two days.”
Sophomore designated hitter Tommy White seems to have worked through his early season struggles and blasted a three-run home run which scored Tre’ Morgan and Crews to create the final score of 12-0.
In the fourth inning, Dylan Crews and Tommy White reached hit milestones in their collegiate careers while they led LSU to their ninth straight win. Crews reminded everyone why he is projected as a top pick in the upcoming MLB draft when he singled for his 200th career hit. North Carolina State transfer White joined the 100-hit club with a three-run home run, his fourth of the season.
LSU’s offense seems to have caught fire at just the right time with its first SEC series against Texas A&M quickly approaching. The Tigers finished with more runs than hits and this was the first-time all-season LSU hit five home runs in a single game.
Game three of the series will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 12.
