By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY: In the team’s final tune up before a trip to Texas that will ratchet up the competition level, LSU drilled Nicholls, 13-3, in seven innings on Monday night at Alex Box Stadium.
William Schmidt worked 4.2 effective innings. He allowed a pair of runs, only one was earned. He struck out three and didn’t walk a batter. The run Nicholls pushed across in the first was unearned after third baseman Tanner Reaves misplayed a potential double play ball.
Schmidt did an excellent job of landing his breaking ball for strikes and consistently featured a fastball north of 94 mph. He did uncork three wild pitches in the fifth. Those moved Karson Irvin from first in to score. Still 46 of Schmidt’s 60 pitches were strikes. He was very good in his first collegiate start.
The offense hit early and often.
Jared Jones enjoyed a nearly perfect night that needs to be a template for him moving forward. He drew two walks, showing the patience he’ll have to display as the alpha of the offense. When he got a mistake, he launched a solo homer in the second. He also added a sharp opposite-field RBI single on a better pitch in the fifth. His final swing of the night traveled more than 400 feet and was dropped on the centerfield warning track. It was an error that also was scored a sacrifice fly.
Steven Milam joined Jones in the homer column. The diminutive shortstop belted a line-drive, three-run shot into the seats in left as a right-handed hitter.
It wasn’t LSU’s cleanest game. The Reaves error hurt, and Cade Arrambide struggled to corral some off target pitches by Schmidt. LSU issued four walks, two each from Jaden Noot and DJ Primeaux. Mavrick Rizy hit the first batter he faced.
Still, it was nice to see the long ball show up after a weekend without one. LSU ended the game early so they can load the buses up and head to Dallas.
The week ahead is a big one for this team. They’ll hit the road for some good bonding time, and they’ll play some solid baseball teams.
It all starts Wednesday with DBU.
THE SCORECARD: Jones was 2-for-2 with a home run, a single, a pair of runs driven in and two runs scored. He walked twice. He stole two bases and now leads LSU’s team with three steals.
Milam was 2-for-3 with a homer and five runs driven in.
Chris Stanfield hit ninth and posted a 2-for-4 day. He scored twice.
Nicholls only had one extra-base hit, a double that actually resulted in an out as Josh Pearson and Milam combined on a relay to get Fisher Ingersoll at third.
Nicholls was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. LSU was 5-for-13 (.385). LSU was 7-for-17 (.412) with runners on base.
LSU scored seven times with two outs including all four runs in the first inning.
THE QUOTES: Jay Johnson on the last two wins…
“I loved tonight. I think our best two games have been our last two games, and that’s certainly the way that you want to trend. You know, I hate that we lost the game the other day, but sometimes that catches your attention more than learning lessons in winning. Like I said the other night, these guys handled that well. I think it’s got a chance to be a net positive, and that’s really hard for me to say because I never want to lose a game. I like the way we handled it, and we’re a far superior team today than we were 56 hours ago.”
Johnson on Milam and Jones leading the offense…
“I’ve learned this being in the SEC. It’s really hard to win when your best players don’t play great. And our two best players were awesome tonight, and the game was awesome.”
WHAT’S NEXT: LSU will travel to the Dallas area for the rest of the week. Wednesday night the Tigers will take on Dallas Baptist at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Friday at 2:00 the Tigers will play Kansas State in the opening game of the Frisco College Baseball Classic. LSU takes on Nebraska on Saturday and Sam Houston State on Sunday.
