A five-run Tigers rally in the seventh inning fell short as Kansas’ 11 early runs were enough to give the LSU baseball team its first blemish of the season, 11-9, at Alex Box Stadium on Friday night.
Sophomore pitcher Joey Bourgeois (2-1) picked up the loss as he surrendered six runs in the second inning.
Jayhawk sophomore catcher James Stanfield hit a line drive over second base to score Kansas’ first run. Kansas senior Robby Price followed it up with a shot to the right-center field fence to score three more. The Jayhawks (8-3) recorded six total runs in the second inning before Bourgeois was pulled.
“Things unraveled for our pitchers,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “It just wasn’t a good performance tonight.”
The Tigers (12-1) gave fans hope in the seventh inning when junior catcher Micah Gibbs scored sophomore outfielder Trey Watkins on a hit to shortstop. Then sophomore second baseman Tyler Hanover extended the rally with a double to right-center.
But a three-up, three-down bottom of the eighth inning and a scoreless ninth secured the two-run loss.
“We battled back, but when they brought in their closer, he shut the door on us,” Mainieri said.
Mainieri said he was amazed LSU scored nine runs on Kansas’ pitchers. Jayhawk junior pitcher T.J. Walz (3-1) earned the win in six innings of work.
LSU senior first baseman Blake Dean had three hits including a solo home run in the first inning.
“The first loss is always the toughest one,” Dean said. “They out-hustled us today.”
Junior Leon Landry filled in as a designated hitter after “tweaking” his hamstring earlier this week. Landry recorded four RBIs as senior Matt Gaudet took over Landry’s role in the outfield.
Landry said he may take the field tomorrow depending of how his hamstring feels.
Sophomore Grant Dozar replaced freshman Wet Delatte at third base. Dozar had two hits and a run in his first start this season.
Mainieri said junior pitcher Austin Ross will take the mound tomorrow when the Tigers battle Kansas at 2 p.m. in the second game of the weekend series.
—-Contact Michael Lambert at [email protected].