Not much is made about baseball in February, but back-to-back losses for LSU have some people wondering what is going on. This time, the Tigers drop game one to Eastern Kentucky 0-2.
After a disappointing outing in Thibodaux, Louisiana for the Tigers at the plate, where they only recorded five hits on the evening, two of which came in the ninth inning, LSU looked to have a bounceback outing against Eastern Kentucky on a chilly night at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Cole Henry was on the bump for the Tigers and looked to be settled in after having a very efficient pitch count through two innings. But Henry was then forced to battle through a bases loaded jam in the third after issuing two free passes that resulted in Eastern Kentucky’s first run of the night. The Alabama native doubled his pitch count in during this stretch. Henry’s final line on the night included three hits, two runs (one earned), three walks and three strikeouts in five innings of work.
“I think I lost a little bit of focus,” said Henry when speaking on his transition from the first two innings to the third. “It’s obviously freezing out here but that is no excuse. It’s tough conditions to play baseball.”
The Tigers bats continued to struggle into the weekend after failing to register a hit until the fifth inning when Cade Beloso laced a leadoff single to break Eastern Kentucky’s no-hitter. The Tigers caught a couple breaks after Eastern Kentucky pitcher Brennan Kelly surrendered back-to-back four-pitch walks to load the bases for LSU in the fifth inning. LSU looked to be cooking up something in the fifth before a strikeout by Hal Hughes and fly outs by Cade Doughty and Maurice Hampton ended the Tigers’ threat.
“It was a tough night to hit obviously with it being as cold as it is and the wind blowing in,” said coach Paul Mainieri. “But it was the same for both teams. I knew runs would be hard to come by. We have to regroup for tomorrow.”
LSU was able to get the leadoff man aboard in four-consecutive innings after but were unable to scratch any runs across the board. The Tigers finished the night 0-14 with runners in scoring position, leaving ten on base.
Beloso, Saul Garza, and Hampton were the trio of Tigers that were credited with a hit.
Jaden Hill, the sophomore right-hander from Ashdown, Arkansas, came in for relief of Henry to make his second appearance of the season after missing the duration of the 2019 season with a sprained UCL. The hard-throwing righty came in bumping a 95 per mile fast ball that touched 96 combined with a filthy slider was more than enough to silence the bats of Eastern Kentucky. Hill provided the Tigers with 2.2 scoreless innings of work, allowing one hit while striking out five one of which he battled back from a 3-0 count.
“I can’t blame it on the cold,” Hill said. “I have to be ready to come out and throw strikes no matter the weather. I did not have my best stuff and I will learn from that.”
Matthew Beck came in on the back end of things to close out the night for LSU. The junior from Alexandria finished with one strikeout, one walk over 1.1 innings.
The Tigers will look to even up the series in game two against Eastern Kentucky at 3 p.m. CT
