LSU Baseball defeated Alabama 11-6 in a comeback win on Thursday night. LSU trailed from behind for six whole innings. It was the long ball that helped the Tigers get the win.
Alabama got on the board early in the game with a home run by Kade Snell in the first inning.
LSU pitcher Kade Anderson had an interesting game to say the least. He racked up 10 K’s through 5.2 innings but he also gave up four home runs.
In the third inning, former LSU catcher Brady Neal hit a leadoff home run to improve the lead to 2-0 in favor of Alabama.
The Tigers would get a run on the board in the third inning. Chris Stanfield would hit a double and shortly after Derek Curiel hit a single to right field, but the right-fielder would have an error moving Curiel to third and scoring Stanfield. Tigers would trail 1-2 going into the fourth inning.
Both teams offense would lay dormant until the sixth inning where the momentum started to shift in LSU’s favor.
Alabama would start the sixth inning strong with Bryce Fowler hitting a single up the middle with Snell knocking in his second homer of the game to bring the lead to 4-1 Alabama.
Right after, Richie Bonomolo Jr. hit a homer to left field to increase the lead to four for Alabama. This would mark the end of Kade Anderson’s night.
In the bottom of the sixth, pinch hitters Josh Pearson and Ashton Larson would set the table for LSU’s comeback victory.
Jake Brown reached base on a walk and Josh Pearson singled to right field.
Ashton Larson stepped up to the plate with the chance to bring LSU within one and he would destroy a baseball to right field for a 3-run homer. Alex Box Stadium erupted after this home run as the fans got brought back to life with the electrifying home run.
In the seventh inning Casan Evans would come in for relief and he played a pivotal part in turning the tide.
Evans would record a controversial strikeout against Justin Lebron to head to the bottom of the seventh. The call would result in Lebron getting antsy with the umpire, so the Alabama head coach had to step in. In a heated argument the head coach was thrown out of the game.
The ejection led to another uproar in Alex Box as Tiger fans could smell blood in the water. Tigers would head to the bottom of the seventh with momentum finally in their favor.
Ethan Frey led off the inning with a single up the middle and then Jared Jones would be patient and reach on a walk.
Steven Milam stepped into the box and hit a monster home run to right field to score three runs for the Tigers. This would give LSU the lead and they would never look back. At this point LSU fans had the stadium rocking and it was evident that Alabama’s pitchers were shook.
Jake Brown followed up Milam’s home run with a single to the right side. While Josh Pearson was up to bat, a bad pitch in the dirt would cause Brown to try for second. The throw was mishandled and went into the outfield.
Brown got the signal from the third base coach to go home and he beat the tag for the last run of the inning. The Tigers would lead 8-5 going into the eighth inning.
Evans would retire four batters quickly to get the LSU bats back in the box.
In the bottom of the eighth, Curiel hit a leadoff single and then Frey came up to the plate and smacked a homer into right field for two runs.
Jared Jones reached base on a walk and eventually worked his way to third. Jake Brown layed down a sacrifice bunt to score Jones and the Tigers would lead 11-5.
It took some time for LSU to close the game in the ninth but they got it done eventually only giving up one run in the ninth.
It was the disastrous seventh inning that lost the game for Alabama. Thanks to the long ball, an electrifying crowd and a little bit of Alex Box magic, the Tigers pulled of an emotional comeback.
Tigers play the second game of a three game series versus Alabama on Friday, April 18 at 6 p.m. CT inside Alex Box Stadium.
