After bouncing back to tie the series against Texas A&M, LSU dropped the rubber match against the Aggies in a late-inning collapse.
The Tigers (19-10, 5-4 Southeastern Conference) did not give up a run until the ninth inning and led 3-0. Aggies’ pinch hitter Walker Pennington became the hero of the game, with a three run homer in the top of the ninth with two outs that sunk the Tigers.
Coach Mainieri said after the game it was unfortunate how the game ended, but thought the team would still pull it out in the bottom of the inning.
“I still felt like we were going to do it in the bottom of the ninth,” Mainieri said. “It’s a tough game sometimes, tough loss.”
Freshman pitcher Eric Walker drew the start for the Tigers, and continued his impressive freshman campaign allowing just two hits in the first four innings.
Early defensive wizardry from senior shortstop Kramer Robertson got LSU out of an early jam in the first with a runner at third.
Walker ran into more trouble in the second loading the bases with only one out in the inning. The freshman showed tremendous poise getting out of the inning with a forced pop-up, and a strikeout to escape the threat.
For the second consecutive game the Tigers went with freshman Rankin Woley over freshman Jake Slaughter at first base with Woley going 0-for-4 for the game, but making some nice defensive plays.
The bats were ice cold to start the game, a common theme for the team in recent weeks.
The Tigers were hitless through the first two innings of the game and didn’t get on base until junior outfielder Beau Jordan was walked in the third.
For the second consecutive game, Robertson came up big with a two-run home run in the fourth to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.
Robertson said after the game the team is in total shock and that the loss is as tough as he can remember.
“It’s shocking,” Robertson said. “It hurts. It’s never easy in this league and to have it taken out from under you with one out to go, it hurts a lot.”
An RBI single from freshman center fielder Zach Watson would extend the LSU lead to 3-0 Tigers in the fifth.
Walker was replaced by senior pitcher Hunter Newman in the seventh inning allowing three hits, no runs and seven strikeouts.
Sophomore pitcher Caleb Gilbert came in to finish the game in the ninth, but struggled as the Aggies scored a run and had runners on first and second with two outs. A three-run shot in the ninth gave the Aggies their first lead of the game 4-3.
LSU was not able to muster a comeback in the bottom of the inning.
The Tigers will face Grambling on Tuesday night from Alex Box Stadium with first pitch expected at 6:30 p.m.