Giving up eight runs in the first inning is bad. Really bad.
Giving up eleven runs in the fourth is even worse. LSU committed both sins on Friday afternoon.
It was a tough showing for LSU’s pitching, who gave up 18 hits and 10 free baserunners that Oral Roberts used to convert into an impressive win by a score of 22-7.
The nightmare of a game began with Jaden Hill’s worst start of his career. He only recorded one out after facing nine batters in the first inning. He gave up eight earned runs on five hits, walked two, and plunked a Golden Eagles batter in the head. The Golden Eagle batters were aggressively fastball hunting, and Hill just did not have any feel for any of his secondary pitches, a sentiment echoed by his head coach after the game.
“It was just one of those outings for him,” Paul Mainieri said. “I told him during the game, I put my arm around him, and I just said, ‘Mama said there’d be days like this.’ This game has humbled the greatest players in the history of the game. Jaden has been outstanding, and today, he was humbled a little bit.”
LSU’s offense responded though, as many expected they would with their electric performances lately. The dynamic trio of freshmen at the top of the order in Dylan Crews, Tre’ Morgan and Brody Drost, all scored in the bottom of the first, and it was Morgan who plated three runs on a clutch bases-loaded double into the right field corner.
Then, it unraveled again. Theo Millas put together a solid pitching performance to keep it close before he was relieved by Ma’Khail Hilliard, Brandon Kaminer, and Jacob Hasty, who combined for 10 of the 11 runs scored to put the game well out of reach. The Golden Eagle lineup was two batters away from batting around the lineup twice in the same inning.
“I thought it was time to go to a veteran pitcher there, and it didn’t really work out for us,” Mainieri said. “Ma’Khail couldn’t put anybody away and then Kaminer had trouble throwing strikes, and then Jacob had a little bit of bad luck too. Before you know it, there’s an 11 spot up there and the game got away from us again.”
LSU’s defense did not help its pitchers at all. Two missed fly balls by Drost and Gavin Dugas were costly missed opportunities for the Tiger outfield to get their teammates some outs. Groundball after groundball seemed to squeak past infielders’ gloves, and it seemed like the ball would always find the places on the infield where no LSU player could make anything happen.
The most glaring team error made today was the overall lack of command from LSU pitchers. Hill was not the only pitcher who struggled to either get strikes called to prevent Golden Eagle players from getting on base or leave pitches over the middle of the plate where Oral Roberts could plate runs. Mainieri had to piece together small outings from his relievers who just could not find any ability to command the plate. Michael Fowler was the only player who survived for longer than three innings, and that outing came well after the game was blown open.
The 11-run fourth inning nearly broke LSU’s all-time record for most runs allowed in an inning. The Tigers gave up 12 in a 1978 game against Mississippi State. The record for runs allowed in game was in 1997 when they allowed 28 runs in an April game against Alabama.
“The confidence doesn’t change.” Cade Beloso said. “I still think we have one of the best teams in the country. We’re ready to come out there and compete and win a ballgame tomorrow. The goal never changes, and this definitely doesn’t ruin our confidence. We’re just going to be ready to go out tomorrow. Forget about this one, ASAP.”
LSU will have to pick themselves up for two more games against Oral Roberts this weekend. Landon Marceaux will take the mound at 3:00 PM on Saturday, while AJ Labas will start at 2:00 PM on Sunday.