LSU advances to the regional final following its 11-6 win against Southeastern.
Coach Paul Mainieri’s squad has now scored double digit runs in seven of its last eight games and is on a 13-game win streak.
Center fielder Zach Watson has played a huge role in that, and was outstanding once again at the plate for the Tigers. The wiry freshman hit two home runs for the second straight game in the regional. Watson is the first LSU batter to hit four homers in a regional since Zeph Zinsman did so in the 2001 regional.
“Honestly, I never would have expected what [Watson] is doing as a freshman,” senior second baseman Cole Freeman said. “It’s impressive, it is really fun to watch him grow like that.”
Watson’s first home run of the night dinged off the scoreboard in left field, something Freeman has said he has only seen once before.
So far in the regional Watson is 5-for-9 with four home runs, seven RBIs and five runs scored.
“By the time Zach Watson is finished here, people that follow LSU baseball will be talking about him for a long time,” said Mainieri.
Other standout performances at the plate include a 4-for-4 night from senior shortstop Kramer Robertson, who rebounded from a poor performance in game one against Texas Southern, and one from Josh Smith, who hit a two-run home run in the first inning.
“I knew I had to come out here and do my part against a really good Southeastern team,” Robertson said. “I didn’t do my part yesterday and it hurt us.”
Junior Alex Lange took the mound for LSU against Southeastern. Lange got off to a shaky start, but was otherwise solid after giving up five runs in the first two innings. The hard throwing right-hander worked through six innings with five runs on eight hits and six strikeouts.
It was the second straight game the Tigers’ pitchers struggled to open the game, but eventually settled down in the middle innings.
He was replaced in the seventh inning by freshman Zack Hess. Hess gave up one hit, a solo home run by Taylor Schwaner, and struck out four batters in two innings.
“I thought our team really played outstanding tonight,” Mainieri said. “I am just so proud of our guys because they answered pressure.”
LSU moves on to regional final, and will face the winner of Rice and Southeastern at 8 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium. Freshman Eric Walker is expected to be the starting pitcher for the Tigers.
