(Photo Credit: @LittleRockBSB on X)
By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY
The offense disappeared. And LSU couldn’t throw enough strikes. Now the season in on the line.
LSU scored just one run in the final eight innings against the tail end of taxed Little Rock pitching staff and walked 11 Trojan hitters in a stunning 10-4 loss on Sunday night at Alex Box Stadium. It was LSU’s first loss to a No. 4 seed in the 26 years of the four-team regional format.
The Tiger offense squandered some chances in the middle innings, leaving the bases loaded in the third and fourth. Michael Braswell and Ethan Frey both popped up.
Derek Curiel was intentionally walked to put runners at first and second with two out in the fifth for Jared Jones. He struck out on three pitches.
The Tigers left 10 men on base against four Trojan pitchers, none of which possessed a plus pitch of any kind.
Malcolm Brown, who sported a 10.38ERA in Ohio Valley play, worked the final 5.1 innings. He allowed a run on three hits and retired the final eight hitters of the game.
As the game drew on, the tension in The Box built. And the Tigers never broke it.
Tanner Reaves’ line drive in the seventh looked ticketed for the right field corner. Instead, first baseman Angel Cano caught it on a dive and touched the bag to double Steven Milam off to end the inning.
That was hardly Cano’s largest contribution.
He launched a majestic two-run home run in the second off Jaden Noot and blistered a three-run double down the line in right an inning later off Chase Shores. All three runners that scored were put on base via the walk.
The walks hurt again in the eighth when Jacob Mayers walked the first three hitters of the inning. A sacrifice fly made it 7-4. He walked a fourth to reload the bases before he was lifted for Mavrick Rizy.
The towering right hander allowed an RBI ground out to make it 8-4 and a wild pitch made it 9-4. An RBI single made it 10-4 as what was left of the Alex Box crowd filed out nearing midnight.
Generally speaking, it’s been LSU’s offense that has taken the blame for losses this year. It shared that blame Sunday night with the free passes issued by the pitching staff.
LSU’s three runs in the first were helped by a couple of flared singles to right field, one of which the right fielder lost in the night sky. Milam did smoke a two-run, two-out single that felt like the beginning of a regional coronation for LSU. It certainly anything but.
Cooper Williams pitched excellently to keep the Tigers in the game. The freshman fired a season-high 3.2 innings of shutout baseball. He struck out four and only issued one free pass.
Ace relievers Zac Cowan and Casan Evans could only sit and watch while the Tigers trailed.
They’ll be ready to go Monday in a do or die game seven of the regional.
THE SCORECARD
Cooper Williams: 3.2IP, 3H, 0R, 4K, 1BB, 52 pitches, 32 strikes
Chase Shores: 1IP, 1H, 4R, 4ER, 3BB, 2K, 39 pitches, 22 strikes
Derek Curiel: 3-for-4, 2B, R
Angel Cano: 2-for-5, HR, 2B, 5RBI
Eight of the 11 walks issued by LSU came around to score.
Malcolm Brown: 5.1IP, 3H, 1R, 1ER, 1BB, 3K, 89 pitches, 50 strikes
Little Rock has scored 40 runs in three games since being shut out on Friday by LSU.
THE QUOTES
LSU head coach Jay Johnson on LSU’s position entering Monday…
“I’m excited about tomorrow. Just like anybody else, I would have rather won tonight, wrapped it up, but we didn’t. That’s because the opponent did a good job. I think it’s just about opportunity tomorrow. Less than 24 hours ago we probably played the cleanest and best brand of baseball that you could possibly play at this level. And that was 24 hours ago. So, I’m excited to see them do that tomorrow.”
Little Rock head Coach Chris Curry on the win…
“We just won the biggest game in program history on, I keep saying it, one of the biggest stages in college baseball. I’m just along for the ride, guys. I’m enjoying what these guys are doing. It’s a blast to coach this team, and they’re having a lot of fun. They’re playing with no fear, no worries, no pressure. And we have been for weeks now. It’s getting normal. I’m so happy and could not be more thrilled to get an opportunity to keep coaching them at least one more day.”
WHAT’S NEXT
LSU and Little Rock will play at 8:00pm Monday for the right to take on West Virginia in the Super Regional round next weekend. The Mountaineers swept through the Clemson Regional, defeating Kentucky on Sunday night.
Jay Johnson’s Tigers have played in a Monday regional game in three of his four seasons. The Tigers are 0-2 in the previous two dropping game sevens at Southern Miss (2022) and Chapel Hill (2024).
