LSU baseball suffered its first series sweep to Arkansas this weekend, falling to the Razorbacks 7-4, 4-3 and 5-7, respectively.
The Tigers came up short in every aspect of the game and were unable to piece together a solid performance against the No. 1 team in the nation.
Here’s where LSU fell flat throughout the weekend:
At the plate
Against a competitive Arkansas bullpen, LSU produced incomplete offensive performances throughout the entire weekend.
The Razorbacks’ ace, Hagen Smith, did a number on the Tiger’s lineup. The All-American pitched the first six innings of game one. The Tigers notched five hits and two runs against Smith but also struck out 10 times. The Razorbacks’ Friday night guy didn’t walk a single Tiger in his outing.
LSU left seven on base throughout game one, and although Arkansas stranded 12, the Razorbacks were able to capitalize on those runners when it mattered, resulting in their first win of the series. The Hogs noted seven RBI that night. LSU only noted three.
In game two against Arkansas, LSU faced Mason Molina in the batter’s box. Molina pitched five innings and noted seven strikeouts. He allowed seven hits and three runs within those five innings, but unfortunately for LSU, Molina’s departure from the rubber also meant an absence in its offensive production.
LSU’s Ashton Larson knotted up game two in the sixth inning with an RBI line drive that scored Josh Pearson. The hit sent the 3-3 ball game into extra innings.
In the 10th inning, any fire from Tiger bats had been completely extinguished. LSU first baseman Jared Jones reached first on a single to left field, but his time on base was cut short when his teammates that followed struck out.
Arkansas took control of the 10th inning. Its dominant energy led to an RBI double and its win of the series.
Game three should have been LSU’s best bet at a win. The last game of the series is typically when opponents rely on the back end of their bullpen, so fans were hoping that the Tiger bats would see less experienced Razorback arms. Unfortunately for them, however, Arkansas’ arms pieced together complete performances.
Brady Tygart, game three’s starter, aided the Tigers’ dominant start. He allowed four runs on five hits across four innings. Once again, when Tygart was relieved from the mound, LSU was unable to compete offensively.
LSU led until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Razorbacks scored three off of Tiger arm Gage Jump. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Arkansas scored three runs off of two hits, one of which was a two-run home run.
In total, LSU stranded 20 batters throughout the weekend. Arkansas stranded 31; a testament to its aggressiveness at the plate and ability to get on base.
On the mound
LSU strategized its bullpen rotation differently for the weekend, likely in an attempt to pair its strongest arm with the Tigers’ best chance at offensive success.
Game one’s starter was Javen Coleman, a redshirt junior who missed the majority of the 2023 season after rehabilitating Tommy John’s surgery. Coleman competed in just over two innings and allowed one run on two hits. He walked two and struck out three.
LSU went on to showcase six other pitchers in game one. In total, the seven pitchers struck out 10 Razorbacks and walked 11.
Only three Arkansas pitchers made an appearance in game one. The trio struck out 18 and only walked two throughout the entire night.
Luke Holman, LSU’s ace, didn’t make an appearance until game two of the series.
Holman didn’t quite deliver like the Tigers had hoped he would. The Alabama transfer allowed three runs on five hits. He walked five and struck out five. Holman was retired after 4.1 innings and totaled 98 pitches in his outing. Molina, Arkansas’ starter in game two, totaled 96 pitches in five innings.
It was Griffin Herring who relieved Holman from the mound, and he proved to be LSU’s strongest arm. Herring’s outing lasted just over four innings. He allowed three hits but struck out eight. The sophomore didn’t walk a single Razorback.
Thatcher Hurd was called in as the closer for game two. He only pitched to three batters was credited with the loss. It was Hurd that allowed the Razorbacks to score their series winning run.
Game three of the series featured LSU newcomer Gage Jump. Jump allowed four runs on seven hits in his 3.2 innings pitched. The UCLA transfer walked two and struck out three. His lack luster performance paired poorly with LSU’s offensive production.
The Tigers had managed to string together their most successful hitting performance of the weekend, collecting five runs on nine hits. The outing was capped off with four homeruns and five RBI.
Despite its offensive counterpart’s outing, the weaker LSU bullpen allowed the Razorbacks to jump ahead on the scoreboard with ease.
All in all, LSU showcased a lack of aggression, on every side of the ball. The Tigers’ bullpen threw a total of 526 pitches throughout the series, 300 of which were strikes.
Arkansas’ 468 total pitches showcased its stronger bullpen, as well as its ability to conduct smart at at-bats-bats throughout all nine innings of a ball game.
