LSU Baseball returned to Alex Box Stadium for the second game of the anticipated series against the Tennessee Volunteers, after winning the first game of the series with a walk-off three-run home run from Jared Jones.
Tiger had a lot of support as 11,439 fans came to Alex Box Stadium ready to see an epic SEC matchup, fans for the largest attendance in LSU history.
To start the game, three quick innings where both team struggled for hits.
Things changed in the fourth inning as the Volunteers dominated pitcher Anthony Eyanson with three hits, two of them resulting into scores. Peebles would hit for Chapman to score open the scoreboard for Tennessee, followed by a hit by Antigua, resulting in the second run for the visitors.
In the fifth inning, both pitchers held off their opponents, with both of them only letting one hit.
In the top of the sixth, LSU struggled. Three pitchers competed throughout the inning for the Tigers. Anthony Eyanson got two outs, but passed the torch to William Schmidt. Schmidt let Marin walk off to first.
Coach Johnson decided to switch pitchers again, putting in Maverick Rizy. Rizy allowed one more Tennessee player to walk to first, resulting in all three bases loaded for the Volunteers. Killen grounded out to short stop, resulting in a great and close call, which finished with the third in a tricky top of the 6th.
LSU couldn’t carry the momentum with the bat, as Jones, Dickinson, and Brown were dominated by a very strong pitching performance from Phillips.
Tough start of the seventh inning for LSU. Rizy allowed Fischer to walk to first, followed by a hit from Ensley to cover first and second base. Coach Johnson made another pitching switch, putting the responsibility on DJ Primeaux. He allowed a hit on hist first pitch as the Volunteers had the bases loaded with no outs.
Coach Johnson decided to make another pitcher switch. Chase Shores came in to be the 5th pitcher in less than two innings. In hist first pitch, he allowed a hit that ended up in the scoreboard for the Volunteers.
LSU had struggled offensively all game, both offensively and pitching. Marcus Phillips, the Volunteers pitchers, had only 83 pitches through 6 full innings as the Tigers haven’t been able to connect.
Things changed in the bottom of the seventh, as Steve Milam hit a solo home run to put the Tigers in the board. Michael Braswell III would follow with another solo home run, and out of nowhere LSU was back in the game, with the momentum full on their side.
Tennessee switched pitchers, as Loy entered the game.
In the top of the 8th, Tennessee would start strong offensively. Chase Shores would struggle, he would be facing bases loaded, with only one out. The Tigers pitcher hit Ensley, to give out a run for the Volunteers. Cooper Williams came in for the Tigers. A lot of pressure as he was facing loaded bases and one out. He managed to strike out Chapman.
With one out remaining, Bargo managed to hit, followed by a mistake made by Jones, who couldn’t stay with the ball. This resulted in another run by Volunteers, that completed took away the momentum that the Tigers had managed to win in the bottom of the seventh.
Peebles hit a fourth-run bomb, to put the game out of reach for the Tigers. A real knockout play, that had fans leaving the stadium early. Very complicated 8th inning, where Tennessee scored 6 runs. The Tigers managed to score one solo home run by Josh Pearson in the bottom of the 8th.
LSU and Tennessee will face again tomorrow at 2 p.m. C.T. to define the winner of the series.
