LSU right-hander Anthony Eyanson delivered a top-notch pitching performance on the mound Saturday night, throwing a complete game as the No. 2 Tigers claimed a 2-1 victory over Texas A&M.
Eyanson’s performance not only secured the win but also showcased his continued development into one of the leading pitchers of not just the LSU but the SEC. The win helped the purple and gold bounce back to split the doubleheader and even the series heading into Sunday’s rubber match, a crucial game that could determine LSU’s standing in the SEC.
The junior transfer from UC San Diego who took up the Saturday starting role was electric throughout the entire game, sending batters back to the dugout just as quickly as they came up. He struck out 14 batters and allowed just three hits, one run and a walk.
His efficiency and command kept the Aggies’ offense off balance, marking one of his best performances of the season since his game against North Alabama, when he had 15 strikeouts and only two hits.
“We talked about this, and it’s just competing, this game is all about competing and how competitive you can be,” Eyanson said. “I think for me, just going out there and seeing what I can do.”
The Aggies had trouble getting hits from Eyanson’s pitches, and when they did, the defense was quick to the rescue to avoid any chance of adding more tallies to the board for the Aggies. Of his 112 pitches, 80 were strikes.
After surrendering a homer from Ben Royo in the bottom of the sixth, he showed his resilience and retired the final three scoreless innings the Aggies faced, striking out every batter in the lineup at least once. It has marked one of the most dominant outings of his LSU career.
Although this wasn’t his highest pitch count of the season, his dominance in the pitches just continued to shine through for all nine innings. He kept his counts relatively low throughout the game, which was crucial for him to continue going for nine innings. This game was essential in keeping LSU’s hope of winning the series alive, and it did so while keeping plenty arms ready for Sunday.
Last weekend against Tennessee, the Vols drove up his pitch count, forcing him to retire early. But that was not the case tonight, as in the bullpen, Chase Shores was warming up, ready to take over when needed, but the time never came.
With the decision not to use Shores in the game Saturday night, he is setting up for the chance to use him tomorrow as a reliever for possible starters Casan Evans and Zac Cowan in the event of a necessary shutdown.
The Tigers’ win was crucial in the tightly packed SEC standings, where they are currently No. 2. This win improved their conference record to 15–8, marking LSU’s fourth win in its last six games.
The series finale between LSU and Texas A&M is set for Sunday at 1 p.m., and both teams are looking to win a crucial SEC series.
