No. 2 LSU needed to play steadily and methodically to beat New Orleans on Tuesday.
The Tigers played clean, fundamental baseball with solid pitching and reliable defense.
The Privateers struck first in the first inning when Diego Villescas scored a run-scoring single, putting LSU in an early hole. But after taking the early 1-0 lead, the Tigers immediately bounced back after Jared Jones hit his eighth home run of the season.
After the first inning, UNO struggled to keep their momentum and continuously struck out against the Tiger pitching staff. Sophomore Jaden Noot had a first-career start pitching for four innings with five strikeouts and finished his time with a 67-pitch count.
“I just think he is getting better,” LSU head coach Jay Johnson said. “The more he gets out there, the more he is going to improve.”
The game’s defining moment came in the fifth inning when Ethan Frey hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run homer that broke the game wide open. He bombed another in the seventh inning as the Tigers beat the Privateers 10-1.
Frey has been instrumental this season on the team. After only playing 34 games last season, this season, he has played in almost every game LSU has played and has delivered in crunch time.
Last season, Frey had a .228 batting average with 13 home runs. This season, he has only appeared in 17 games and hit four home runs, and with the way his bat is heating up, they will keep coming.
The three Tiger pitchers kept UNO’s offense in check with a steady mix of fastballs and sinker pitches. The bullpen followed suit, with relievers combining to shut out the Privateers over the final three innings.
Closer to the end, Jacob Meyers relieved Noot on the mound to throw four strikes and only one walk for his two-and-a-half innings pitched. After Mayers short appearance, Cooper Williams took the mound to clean up the top of the seventh inning.
While the game wasn’t the most exciting except in the back half, when fans were looking for explosive offense, it reminded LSU’s ability to stay composed and execute in key moments. Its pitching was efficient, their defense was sharp, and they did just enough at the plate to walk away with the win.
Games like these are essential for the Tigers to win at this point in the season. Not every victory will be a slugfest, and LSU proved it can grind out wins even when the bats are quiet.
The Tigers will be on the road this weekend to play No. 5 Texas in a three-game series in Austin.
