In Game 3 against Mississippi State, not even a marathon weather delay could slow down LSU’s red-hot offense. The Tigers exploded at the plate to take the series sweep, sending the Bulldogs home to Starkville after dark.
What started as a regular SEC showdown over the weekend quickly turned into a test of endurance, as flash floods and lightning pushed back the start time by over three and a half hours. However, once LSU pitcher Chase Shores threw out the first pitch at 9:30 CDT, the Tigers wasted no time making a statement.
LSU jumped on Mississippi State in the first inning, playing round-robin with the Bulldogs’ defense. Stringing together quality at-bats, they took an immediate lead. Then, they continued to blow it open, tallying eight runs.
The offensive explosion was led by Jared Jones, who launched a two-run homer in the first inning to put pressure on Mississippi State from the jump. Jones delivered a multi-hit performance and drove crucial runs to keep the Tigers rolling.
“The line drive by Jared, homer off the batter’s eye, that’s one of the most impressive swings I’ve ever seen,” said LSU head coach Jay Johnson.
Despite the long layoff, the Tigers’ hitters showed no rust, consistently finding barrels and putting pressure on the Bulldogs’ pitching staff.
Adding fire to the pitching staff, Shores held consistent with 74 pitches, only allowing four runs. His time on the mound was cut short after being hit in the eye by a ricocheting ball in the fourth inning.
Not stopping Shores, he finished the inning, putting up yet another zero on the board, shortly after six different relief pitchers came in to finish up the back five innings. LSU pitcher Jaden Noot went into the game in the eighth with no outs and cleaned it, putting a zero on the board.
By the middle innings, the Tigers had blown the game open, capitalizing on every scoring opportunity with timely hits and smart baserunning.
Ethan Frey added to the fireworks with another standout performance after a single homer to give LSU the lead late into the night. He got two hits that aided in the all-out sprint from Milam and Dickinson to start the beginning of the Tigers’ rally with consistent plate dominance to find the gaps to give them the edge.
When the final out was recorded in the early morning hours, LSU had secured the sweep, beating Mississippi State 17-8.
The rain delay wasn’t enough to shake the Tigers. They will host Louisiana Tech in a Tuesday night in-state showdown before hitting the road for Norman to take on the Oklahoma Sooners.
