This year’s LSU baseball team is loaded with young talent but struggles both on the mound and at the plate against Oral Roberts proved that this team still has plenty of room to grow.
The Oral Roberts series was the first series loss for the Tigers on the season with a 22-7 loss in game one, and a 3-1 loss in game three. Game one was a nightmare afternoon for the LSU pitching staff. Junior right-handed pitcher Jaden Hill got the start but was pulled in the first inning after giving up eight earned runs through just one third inning. Giving up 22 runs is a nightmare game for any team, but head coach Paul Mainieri was adamant that it is important for his team to quickly move on from this game.
“That was a strange game and you just have to write that game off as one of those weird games that happens once in a blue moon,” Mainieri said.
The Tigers responded well to the embarrassing loss with a great all-around performance in game two, defeating Oral Roberts 12-0. Despite the momentum seeming to be on LSU’s side after game two, the Tigers’ bats were inconsistent in a 3-1 loss in game three. LSU led 1-0 for most of the game, but a late rally in the eighth inning by Oral Roberts was the difference in the game.
“When you have a 1-0 game, you’re kind of at the mercy of having good luck and hoping the other team doesn’t put good at-bats together,” Mainieri said. “Oral Roberts did that in the eighth, and it changed the entire game.”
With SEC play just over a week away, it is critical that the Tigers get back on track as the SEC is stronger than ever this season. At the start of this week eight SEC teams were ranked in the Top 25, and all five teams in the top five came from the SEC. With the grueling SEC schedule right around the corner, Mainieri emphasized how important it is for his team to get on track before then.
“There’s a lot of things we need to do to get back on track and be competitive in the SEC,” Mainieri said.
Getting healthy is the first major key for LSU as injuries were a factor in the series loss against Oral Roberts. The Tigers lost one of their most consistent hitters in Cade Doughty after he suffered a freak injury celebrating a home run against Nicholls State. Doughty has provided a major boost for the Tigers when he is in the lineup and Mainieri believes the balance he provides is crucial to the team.
“You put Cade in the lineup and it just gives you better balance throughout your lineup,” Mainieri said. “It’s crazy how just one guy can do that for your team.”
Giovanni DiGiacomo has been another key loss for the Tigers as he went down with a hamstring injury in just the second game of the season. DiGiacomo’s presence in center field will be a major key for the Tigers throughout the course of the season if he too can recover from his injury and stay healthy.
Pitching has been inconsistent at times for LSU as well, but the Tigers’ pitching staff has more than enough talent to provide consistency down the stretch. Outside of the 22-7 loss to Oral Roberts, LSU’s weekend rotation has been mostly lights-out to start the season. right-handed Pitcher Landon Marceaux has yet to allow an earned run in three starts this season, and right-handers Hill and A.J. Labas have both pitched shutouts in two of their three starts.
The bullpen has also been inconsistent at times with veteran relievers Devin Fontenot and Ma’Khail Hilliard both getting off to shaky starts. Like Hill, Hilliard also struggled in the 22-7 loss to Oral Roberts giving up six earned runs in just one third inning. Despite this, Hilliard bounced back with an impressive performance against Texas Southern. Hilliard pitched 3.1 innings and struck out five without allowing a single baserunner. After the game Hilliard talked about how he bounced back.
“My confidence was at the highest it has ever been,” Hilliard said. “I felt like all I needed to do was just go out there and throw strikes, fill up the zone and let my defense work.”
Fontenot also had a bounce back game against Texas Southern pitching a scoreless inning and throwing two strikeouts after walking the first two batters he faced. This was an important step in the right direction for the veteran closer who had already picked up two blown saves early in the season.
From top to bottom, this LSU team has more than enough talent to compete in the SEC. The key going forward for the Tigers is playing to that same high-level game in and game out down the stretch. Last weekend was a shaky weekend for the Tigers, but it is clear that there is no reason to panic. Even after the series loss to Oral Roberts, Mainieri was quick to reassure fans that this team has what it takes to get on track.
“These kids will be very resilient.”