For the second consecutive week, the LSU baseball team overcame an early deficit and defeated the Texas Longhorns 10-5.
The Tigers were down 5-0 when the Box came alive in the fifth inning as the LSU bats began to roar to life. LSU was able to get a runner in scoring position after a one out double from Bryce Jordan.
The speed of second baseman Brandt Broussard scored Jordan from third while Broussard advanced on an infield single, extending his hitting streak to five games. A chopper down the left field line from shortstop Hal Hughes scored Broussard from second, chipping the Longhorn lead to 5-2.
LSU would go on to add three more runs in the inning but lost Beau Jordan after the senior made an obscene gesture at Longhorn pitcher Chase Shugart as he ran down the first base line after a single. Jordan was replaced by freshman Nick Webre in left field for the remainder of the game.
“I think this is a testament to these kids learning lessons already,” Mainieri said. “What happens in the first four or five innings doesn’t matter but what you do at the end of the game does.”
The Tigers would go on to add two more runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to take the game 10-5.
Caleb Gilbert made his second start of the season hoping to redeem himself after a rough first week. The junior starter will have to wait another week for another chance to prove himself after a second consecutive poor performance.
Trouble came for Gilbert in the second inning, with two errors from his infield not helping matters.
A missed pop fly in foul territory from third baseman Jake Slaughter led to a double on the next pitch. The pinch hitter, Zach Zubia blasted a two run shot over the left center field wall giving the Longhorns a 2-0 advantage
Gilbert allowed four hits in the inning and threw 30 pitches.
A Kody Clemens solo shot to start the third inning extended the Longhorn lead to 3-0 and an infield single with a runner on third scored another run in the fourth.
Gilbert’s night came to an end in the fifth when Zubia hit his second homerun of the night off the junior starter. Gilbert went four innings and allowed 10 hits, five runs and one strikeout.
“Caleb threw the ball over the plate,” Mainieri said. “He just couldn’t put anybody away but he must have had seven or eight batters in a two strike count.”
JUCO transfer Taylor Peterson was called on to replace Gilbert and pitched a solid outing, sitting five of the six batters he faced before being replaced by Matthew Beck.
DH and pitcher Austin Bain provided the Tigers with their first hit in the bottom of the fourth, but two flyouts and a strikeout ended the inning.
Antoine Duplantis showed his defensive range in the outfield with a stellar defensive performance. Duplantis robbed Clemons of a no out double to open the sixth inning and made another diving catch in the seventh off a fly ball from the Texas catcher DJ Petrinsky.
Bain would come in to close the ninth and the senior proceeded to load the bases with one out. Remaining composed, Bain was able to end the game with a flyout and a strikeout.
“Once the momentum starts going, it’s hard to stop,” Bain said. “I felt loose tonight and I felt like I had a little something in my fastball. Towards the end I just locked in.”
LSU will look for the series sweep of the Longhorns tomorrow afternoon with first pitch at 1 p.m. and Todd Peterson on the mound.