By Hunt Palmer
(Photo Credit: @LSUbaseball on X)
THE STORY: LSU’s bid for a perfect season ended on Saturday.
A furious ninth inning rally came up one swing short as Omaha dealt the Tigers their first loss of the season, 5-4.
After going hitless for seven innings and scoreless for eight, LSU plated four runs in the bottom of the ninth but left the tying run stranded 90 feet from home plate. Ashton Larson struck out with one out, and Steven Milam flew out to centerfield to end the game.
While the missed opportunity at the end of the game will draw the headlines, it was LSU’s first two at bats sting just as hard. The Tigers loaded the bases in the first and second innings against Mavericks’ starter Ben Weber. They stranded all six runners.
Weber couldn’t find the strike zone, but the Tigers couldn’t square him up. He walked six LSU hitters in 3.2 innings of work. LSU couldn’t make it hurt.
Slider specialist Luke Gainer stymied the Tigers for 2.1 innings, as well.
All of Omaha’s damage came in the seventh when LSU starter Anthony Eyanson left the game.
Grant Fontenot was the first man out of the LSU bullpen. He hit both batters he faced including an 0-2 beanball of Trent Burkhalter.
Connor Benge came in and put gas on the fire by throwing a pickoff into centerfield for LSU’s lone error. After an RBI single and a wild pitch that plated another run, Jackson Trout delivered what ultimately became the game winner with a three-run blast through the wind into the seats in left.
Cooper Williams was fantastic in his two innings of work, but the damage was done.
Derek Curiel deserves a ton of credit for his baserunning play that gave LSU a chance to tie the game. The freshman, who represented the tying run, advanced from second to third with one out in the ninth on a wild pitch that barely evaded catcher Cardel Dick. Curiel just slid by the tag applied by third baseman Henry Zipay. It was close enough to review, but the replay confirmed Curiel beat the play.
Larson couldn’t pay it off as Matt Dreher snapped off a pair of nasty sliders to get him swinging, but the heads up aggressiveness from Curiel was impressive for a freshman.
LSU offense wasn’t good enough on Saturday afternoon, and the bullpen gave away two free bases in a tight game.
That gets you beat.
THE SCORECARD: LSU popped up 17 times which is entirely too much.
Anthony Eyanson was great. After a couple of early walks, he settled in and went six innings of shutout ball. He struck out seven and allowed just three hits.
Daniel Dickinson walked twice and swatted a big two run double out of the leadoff spot.
LSU’s position players were once again errorless.
LSU was 3-for-13 with runners on and 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Weber’s line was preposterous: 3.2 innings, no hits, no runs, 6 walks and a hit batter. He threw 40 balls and 36 strikes.
Cooper Williams has now thrown three perfect innings in his young career.
