The top ranked LSU baseball team traveled to Columbia, South Carolina this weekend for a three-game series against the No. 6 South Carolina Gamecocks. College baseball fans enjoyed a highly competitive game which featured some of the top baseball talents in the entire country.
The Gamecock’s bats combined for four home runs and took the lead in the third inning. They did not give up the lead the rest of the way.
Right-hander James Hicks was credited with the win after he threw four innings with 64 total pitches. He allowed two runs on two hits on his way to his sixth win of the season. Hicks didn’t allow the Tigers to rally in the middle of the game and is now 6-0.
South Carolina’s starter right hander Will Sanders also had a productive night. He fired 53 total pitches, four strikeouts in three innings and only allowed one run on two hits.
LSU’s starter and junior right hander Paul Skenes was charged with his first loss of the season and his record drops to 5-1. He threw three innings with 49 total pitches and 32 of them were strikes. Skenes finished with eight strikeouts.
Both starters’ nights were cut short, though, as the game was delayed for lightning in the fourth inning, resulting in both pitchers being pulled.
Going into the recent Nicholls State win, the Air Force transfer led the nation in two pitching statistics. Skenes had 83 strikeouts and had only allowed 3.86 hits per inning. He also came into the game No.3 in the nation in ERA with 0.81
Four Gamecocks had two hits each. Shortstop Braylen Wimmer, right fielder Ethan Petry, left fielder Dylan Brewer and third baseman Talmadge Lecroy combined for South Carolina’s total of eight hits and four home runs.
LSU’s duo of junior shortstop Jordan Thompson and senior designated hitter Cade Beloso both had two hits as well. They combined for five RBIs and two home runs, which accounted for all of LSU’s runs.
Junior right hander Will Hellmers finished the final three innings on the mound for LSU. He threw 89 total pitches with four strike outs, although he did allow four runs on two hits with six walks.
Junior centerfielder Dylan Crews had an abnormally quiet game. He went 1 for 3 at the plate, although he did score a run and extended his on-base streak to 34 games.
The SEC has torn itself apart in terms of records and rankings. Although the final score is a feather in the Gamecocks’ cap, LSU has a chance to redeem themselves tomorrow in the doubleheader.
Game two will begin Friday at 11 a.m. CT and game three of the series will follow an hour after game two’s end. LSU drops to 25-5 on the season, 6-4 in SEC play. South Carolina improves to 28-3 on the year and a stellar 9-1 in conference play.
