The No. 1 ranked LSU Tigers’ baseball team lifted the 2023 Karbach Round Rock Classic champion’s belt on Sunday night after a 16-4 victory over the Sam Houston State Bearkats thanks to a 23-hit performance.
LSU’s 23-hit total is the most in a game since 2014. LSU and Iowa both finished the weekend 2-1, but the Tigers edged out the Hawkeyes on run differential to secure the title.
Junior center fielder Dylan Crews was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his performance in the tournament. He went 2 for 4 against Kansas State, 2 for 3 against Iowa, and an absurd 5 for 6 at the plate against Sam Houston State. In LSU’s final game, Crews scored four runs and had another four RBI’s, responsible for half of the Tigers’ runs.
“Dylan Crews is the best player I’ve ever coached, and I had 14 former players play in the Major Leagues last year,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “that tells you how good he is. The talent is easy to see, the way the ball comes off the bat, the plays he makes in center field. What I’m most proud of is the way he continues to develop and be in control of himself when everyone in the park knows he’s the best player out there.”
After LSU’s 7-3 win in game one, the Tigers failed to duplicate that success in game two against Iowa. LSU got off to a slow start, giving up three runs in the first inning and was never able to recover.
Iowa Starting pitcher Brady Brecht kept the LSU bats quiet early on, allowing just two earned runs on one hit in three and one third innings. That made way for Jared Simpson who was credited with the win after pitching four and two thirds innings, allowing just two earned runs and striking out eight batters.
LSU was held to just four runs on four hits, with two of those hits coming from Crews. Riley Cooper started the game on the mound for LSU and was charged with the loss after pitching three innings, giving up five earned runs on five hits.
The Bayou Bengals responded to the tough loss Saturday night by swinging angry to start their matchup with the hometown favorite Sam Houston State. Right fielder Brayden Jobert began the scoring frenzy in the top of the 1st inning while hitting out of the third position in the batting order with a two-run homer off the Bearcats’ starting pitcher Logan Hewitt.
The Tigers had eight hits through the first two innings. Freshman Jared Jones hit a 417 ft solo home run to start the top of the 3rd inning to increase LSU’s advantage to 8 runs. LSU added two more in the top of the 4th inning and Sam Houston State answered with their first 3 runs of the ballgame in the bottom half.
In the final half of the game, third baseman Justin Wishkoski hit Sam Houston State’s only home run and LSU extended the lead with four more to make the final total 16 runs.
“Tonight was our best game of the year,” Johnson said. “We had a goal of playing our best game so far, and we accomplished that. I’m thankful that our guys have been very coachable, and I’m excited for the future of this team.”
Freshman Chase Shores got the start on the mound for LSU. He threw 34 pitches in two innings and allowed three hits with zero runs. Bryce Collins relieved Shores in the bottom of the third inning and struggled immediately with his pitch command. Collins walked three batters in a row in the bottom of the 4th inning and allowed the Bearcats to load the bases.
Garret Edwards came in to relieve Collins and walked his first batter with the bases loaded which gave the Bearkats their first and unearned run of the game. Edwards bounced back and threw a solid three innings although he allowed a run. Griffin Herring and Blake Money closed out the game and both pitched one inning a piece without allowing Sam Houston State to score.
LSU Baseball will remain in Texas and travel to Austin for a battle with the Texas Longhorns on Tuesday, Feb. 28th at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Peter Rauterkus contributed to this article.
