LSU junior center fielder Jake Fraley knew he hit a home run as soon as the ball left the bat.
“Whenever I hit my home runs they’re always on a line,” Fraley said. “So I’m always jumping out the box, just like any other hit. That was the first one I feel like I pimped … Usually I’m going a 100 percent out of the [batter’s] box, but on that one as soon as it left the bat I knew it was gone.”
LSU (43-18) coach Paul Mainieri was surprised.
“I didn’t know he could hit a ball that far, honestly,” Mainieri said. “That was absolutely crushed.”
Fraley’s home run traveled 428-feet over the right field wall, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead and setting the tone for a 7-1 victory over Utah Valley.
Every LSU starter recorded a hit on offense against a team that had traveled more than 1,600 miles from Orem, Utah, for its first-ever NCAA Tournament game.
Originally, the Wolverines and the Tigers were supposed to play at 2 p.m., but due to heavy rain and lighting, the game was delayed for six hours and 34 minutes.
Most of the players didn’t stick around to wait out the delay. Utah Valley (37-22) went back to its team hotel, and Mainieri sent his team home.
While some players went home, others took a trip to grab a bite to eat, while it poured inside of Alex Box Stadium. But the players still kept their focus with a game still left to play.
“We just sat around and waited from a text from coach [Mainieri],” said LSU junior pitcher Jared Poche’. “When we got that text we mentally locked in as quickly as possible.”
“This isn’t necessarily our first go around with weather this season,” said LSU sophomore first baseman Greg Deichmann. “We gotta stay focus as long as we can, even if we’re sitting around for five to six hours.”
On the mound, LSU junior pitcher Jared Poche’ provided the veteran presence that Mainieri said he wanted from his hurler for his young team. Across six innings, Poche’ (8-4) matched a career-high with eight strikeouts, giving up five hits.
Most of the LSU players have a little or no experience in the NCAA Tournament, but with a few big games under Poche’s belt, his performance wasn’t surprising, but “expected” Fraley said.
Maineiri echoed Fraley’s statement.
“It was vintage Jared,” Mainieri said. “He didn’t dominate at times although he ended up with a lot of strikeouts … He pitches in the clutch when he needs to.”
With the win, LSU avoided having to possibly play two games on Saturday. The delay caused the game between Rice and Southeastern to be postponed, forcing the start time to be at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
The loser of that game will have to face Utah Valley right afterward at 2 p.m. and LSU will play the winner of Southeastern and Rice at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
“I didn’t think our young players who have not played in the postseason showed any nerves at all,” Mainieri said. “It was a good start for us. We have a lot of work to do, but it was a good start to the tournament.”
