Game seven of the Baton Rouge regional did not disappoint. LSU completed a gutsy comeback to defeat Little Rock 10-6, after going down by as many as four early in the game.
The Tigers got big-time production out of designated hitter Ethan Frey, catcher Luis Hernandez, and freshman pitcher Casan Evans in the win.
LSU hopped out to a quick lead when Ethan Frey hit a solo homerun to left field in the first inning to make it 1-0.
Zac Cowan would get the start for LSU on the mound tonight, but he did not bring his best stuff. Cowan struggled with command and locating his pitches. In the bottom of the second inning, Cowan led off by issuing a walk and hitting the next batter. Cowan would then give up a single to the next Trojan hitter who would tie the game at one a piece.
Cowan’s night would only get worse, where he finished with a line of: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP.
The Tigers would give up five runs in the second inning, which ended up taking lots of energy out of the fans in the box. There would be light at the end of the tunnel for Tiger fans, though.
HOLD THE ROPE
Freshman right-hander Casan Evans entered the game for LSU in the second inning, and he did not miss a beat. Evans would “hold the rope” for the Tigers as he went a full 6 innings. The freshman finished with 12 strikeouts while only giving up one run and four hits. Evans improved to 4-1 with the win.
“(Casan)is a superstar. There haven’t been very many better performances on that pitching mound in championship games than what you saw from Casan,” said HC Jay Johnson.
The Tigers needed runs after going down by four early in the game. In the fourth inning, LSU loaded the bases for none other than Ethan Frey, one of the hottest hitters in all of college baseball.
BIG TIME PLAYERS MAKE BIG TIME PLAYS
So, what did he do? Frey hit a line drive opposite-field to right-center field to clear the bases and give the Tigers some momentum back, making it 5-4 after the 4th inning.
The junior from Rosepine, Louisiana stayed poised throughout his opportunities all this weekend, crediting his head coach for trusting him.
“Coach Johnson talks a lot about controlling the situation, not letting the moment get too big. When you’re actually able to do it, it shows how much trust he has in you and your ability to compete and play no matter what the situation is,” Frey said.
Catcher Luis Hernandez would also be a large contributor to LSU’s success at the plate as he hit two homers, both solo shots, and 3 RBI’s total on the night. In the 6th inning, Hernandez would tie the game with a solo shot that sent Alex Box Stadium into a frenzy.
LSU broke the tie in the 7th inning when Steven Milam hit a hot RBI groundout to score Frey, making it 6-5.
LSU got into some trouble in the eighth inning when Casan Evans walked the first two batters of the inning. The Tigers turned to starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson, who would end up getting the Tigers out of the jam as he struck out a Trojan and induced a ground ball to the end the threat.
LSU erupted in the top of the ninth inning when Jared Jones hit a two-run HR to extend the lead and give Eyanson some breathing room.
Eyanson finished the ninth inning by striking out two Trojans to secure the Tigers a spot in what will be their 17th Super Regional appearance.
The decision to finish the game with Eyanson was one that head coach Jay Johnson was prepared for. Eyanson pitched on short rest after getting the win vs UALR on Friday, throwing 7.2 shutout innings with 98 total pitches. Coach Johnson’s brilliant plan to throw Eyanson versus Texas A&M helped Eyanson’s familiarity with the high-caliber moment.
“He was ready for it. This was also why we did what we did at Hoover. I didn’t want that to be the first time that he did it,” said Johnson.
ALWAYS IN THE FIGHT
Johnson and multiple players gave credit to the entire team for keeping a positive outlook on fueling the comeback. Johnson mentioned that this team is no stranger to coming back when down in games. The Tigers fueled comebacks earlier this season against Nebraska, Mississippi State, Alabama, and Tennessee.
“Tonight is one of the best wins of my entire career because of what they had to do to earn it. They were not going to let each other lose tonight,” Johnson said in regard to his team’s comeback victory.
WHAT’S NEXT?
With the win, LSU will host West Virginia in Alex Box Stadium this weekend. It’s the 17th Super Regional for the Tigers.
Dates, times, and TV announcements are expected to be made at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
