LSU left-handed pitcher Jared Poche’ struck out eight and allowed just two hits in 6-0 win against Sacramento State Friday night at Alex Box Stadium.
Reflecting on his six-inning outing, Poche’ claims he didn’t have his best stuff, though, unimpressed by his fastball and changeup command. Junior second baseman Kramer Robertson was baffled by his teammate’s sentiment.
“If that’s not Jared Poche’s best night, then that’s scary for the rest of the SEC because I thought he was dominant tonight,” Robertson said.
Behind Poche’s stalwart breaking ball, the Tigers (4-1) played errorless baseball for the first time this season while capitalizing on the Hornets’ (3-2) miscues in a series-opening shutout victory.
One game after allowing 12 free bases against Lamar, a trio of relievers protected Poche’s scoreless performance by surrendering only one hit while walking none. Despite nine runners left on base on the night, the LSU offense scratched runs across in the first two innings and four more in the final three innings.
“[Sacramento State] has been on the road for over a week,” said LSU junior shortstop Cole Freeman. “They’re tired, and we understand that. Believe me, we aren’t taking this team lightly. They went in and took two-of-three from Auburn. We did hit well, but we didn’t execute well…We know we didn’t execute to where we need to be. We need to keep the ball out of the air a little bit more because they kicked it around a little bit. So, let them make the play and make them make the plays.”
After a harmless top of the first for Poche’, two-out offense gave the Tigers a quick lead in the bottom half of the inning. Robertson led of the frame with a walk and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt and a balk by Hornet starting pitcher Sam Long. Sophomore left fielder Beau Jordan then poked Long’s full-count offering into left field to drive in Robertson, giving Poche’ and the LSU relievers all they would need.
Robertson padded the Tigers’ lead with a screaming RBI double into left field, scoring freshman right fielder Antoine Duplantis, but LSU stranded a pair of runners for the second inning in a row.
Despite a high pitch count, Poche’ breezed through his six-inning start with ease, allowing just a pair of runners to reach second base. He ended the top half of the first, fourth and fifth innings with punch-outs, as well as striking out the side in the top of the fourth.
“I’m always satisfied when my team gets a ‘W,’” Poche’ said. “Obviously, it wasn’t my best performance. Stuff-wise, my fastball was hit-or-miss, didn’t have great fastball command. But when I needed it, I had it. My breaking ball was definitely my go-to pitch. Changeup wasn’t there tonight, but I found a way to put guys away when I needed to.”
Poche’ entered the top of the sixth with 85 pitches to his name, but he can thank his defense for his 10-pitch final inning. In his third start at the position, Freeman ranged over for a ball to his right, scooping the grounder and delivering the throw to first base. Robertson followed Freeman’s highlight play with one of his own, laying out for a hard-hit ball deep in hole to record the second out.
“We were shading up the middle to play pull because their spray charts showed that against Auburn in their last few games,” Robertson said. “I was able to get a glove on it. It’s difficult throwing that wet ball late at night here, but I was fortunate to get it there, make a good throw and get the out. It was big play for us.”
Junior catcher Jordan Romero, making his second start at catcher, led off the bottom of the sixth with a single, and junior designated hitter Bryce Adams reached the basepaths on a throwing error by Hornet reliever Ryan Smith. Two batters later, freshman third baseman O’Neal Lochridge drove in Romero on a sacrifice fly, and Adams later scored on another errant throw, the fourth error of the game by Sacramento State.
Junior left fielder Jake Fraley, who nearly missed two home runs on hooking foul balls, worked a leadoff walk in the bottom seventh. Fraley swiped second base on the first pitch to sophomore left fielder Beau Jordan, and Jordan eventually drove him on a hit-and-run. Robertson, who was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, capped off his stellar night with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the eighth.
On top of the insurance runs, Tiger right-handed relievers Jesse Stallings, Russell Reynolds and Doug Norman shut down the Hornets, adding four more strikeouts to Poche’s eight punch-outs.
“I told [pitching coach] Alan Dunn, ‘It’s a lot more fun to shut a team out them give up 12 runs and lose, wasn’t it?’” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.