LSU (13-4) faced the Louisiana Wildcats as a replacement game for a previously scheduled matchup with the University of San Diego, and defeated the Wildcats 13-0.
Freshman starting pitcher Zack Hess began the night with two strikeouts in the first three innings of the game, and continued that dominance throughout into the night.
LSU received some help early in the first as the Wildcats’ pitcher Jacob Buchanan hit both senior shortstop Cole Freeman and freshman outfielder Antoine Duplantis to give the Tigers two batters on base.
Junior right fielder Greg Deichmann drove in Duplantis, and a sacrifice fly from freshman first baseman Jake Slaughter brought Duplantis home.
The Tigers’ midweek performance encouraged LSU coach Paul Mainieri.
“I’m really proud of the way the guys played,” Mainieri said. “Guys were very focused and came out with good energy. This was about us playing the game the right way.”
Freshman outfielder Zach Watson sent a RBI ground ball up the middle that scored Deichmann and gave LSU a 3-0 edge after one inning.
Hess (2-0) had a perfect game going through five innings of work, and was saved by a diving catch in left field by Duplantis.
Hess’ perfect game bid ended In the sixth inning, after slow dribbler up the middle was unable to be fielded by freshman third baseman Josh Smith resulting in a single.
The Forest, Virginia native ended the game allowing one hit, no runs and struck out a season-high seven batters and was replaced by freshman pitcher Will Reese.
“Zack Hess set the tone in the first inning,” Mainieri said. “He won’t be available until Sunday, but we got to have all hands on deck for this weekend.”
LSU added more runs in the fourth after a single from junior outfielder Beau Jordan scored Smith, and another single from junior catcher Nick Coomes scored Jordan to give LSU a 5-0 lead after four.
Freeman, who was hit by a pitch twice and six times total on the season, said he is happy anyway he can get on base.
“It really doesn’t matter to me,” Freeman said. “If I can get a hit, awesome. If I can get hit, awesome. Anyway I can help the team I just want to keep doing that.”
The Tigers stepped it up in the seventh scoring seven runs in the inning led by a Duplantis double that scored three.
LSU will look to even the season series tomorrow against University of New Orleans when the Privateers visit Alex Box tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.
