LSU almost converted a rare triple play, in its 5-4 victory against Arkansas on Friday.
Junior catcher Jordan Romero called it the “weirdest play ever”.
“There’s a saying around my sport,” said LSU (29-16, 12-10 Southeastern Conference) coach Paul Mainieri. “If you come to a ball game you might see something that you’ve never seen before.”
With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth and the game tied 2-2, Arkansas (26-20, 7-15 SEC) sophomore center fielder Carson Shaddy swung on a 2-2 pitch and madness ensued right after.
Shaddy hit a liner back to LSU junior shortstop Kramer Robertson, which seemed to hit to hit the ground, but Robertson still threw the ball home. Romero then got the runner out at the plate and then threw back to third base to record, what looked like to be a triple play.
It wasn’t.
After about seven minutes of deliberation, head umpire Tony Walsh reversed the call and put the runner back on third. Mainieri disagreed, saying the runner left third base early.
“Kramer made a heck of a play,” Mainieri said. “I don’t think Kramer felt that he caught the ball in the air so he made a very instinctive play and threw the ball to the plate to get the force out, knowing that the runner at third couldn’t get a good jump, because he didn’t know if the ball was caught or not.”
Mainieri would appeal the call, and the third and final out of the inning was called.
During the sequence Robertson was seen visibly frustrated at the umpire’s original ruling, but did not argue about the play.
“The umpires saw what they saw,” Robertson said. “I’m not going to argue with them. I was at first, because I thought they ruled wrong. I thought ruled they ruled it second and third with one out.”
In the bottom of the sixth the Tigers would regain the lead for good. Back-to-back bases-loaded walks put LSU ahead 4-2. A sac-fly from outfielder Jake Fraley gave the Tigers a comfortable advantage.
LSU pitcher Alex Lange got his third Friday start of the season tonight. The hurler ran into trouble early, allowing a run in the top of the first inning, putting LSU in a 1-0 hole.
Still, Lange (6-3) would settle in until he was pulled in the top of the eighth following a home run by Arkansas first baseman Clark Eagan.
After the game, Lange talked about how important it is to limit the damage when things don’t go right.
“That inning could escalate and become two or three, and then we’re battling back,” Lange said. “Obviously you want to set the tone at the beginning of the game and get right back in the dugout and get this place rolling. That didn’t happen today, but limiting them to one run is crucial in that situation.”
LSU will look to clinch the series Saturday at 6:30 p.m.