Schmidt, offense lead run rule win over UCF

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY

Sunday shutouts are significant.

That’s true even when they’re shortened by run rule. William Schmidt and Mavrick Rizy combined to blank Central Florida on Sunday afternoon, and the offense tallied 11 as the Tigers swept through the Jax College Classic to move to 8-0.

Schimdt’s outing was the story.

The sophomore right-hander peppered the strike zone over five innings and pitched out of some trouble in the fourth and fifth to complete his outing. A leadoff double in the fourth was quickly erased as Schimdt struck out the next three hitters he faced.

A leadoff single opened the fifth, and after a pair of strikeouts and a walk followed by a wild pitch, UCF had runners at second and third with two out in a 7-0 game. Schmidt induced a fly out on a 3-2 pitch to strand a pair and maintain the shutout.

Schmidt’s best pitch is the breaking ball, and he was landing it for strikes much of the game. He also used it as a put away pitch. He only walked one over five innings. Sunday was a big building block for the sophomore.

Offensively, LSU “did its thing,” as Jay Johnson said.

Cade Arrambide got the barrel to a high heater and pierced the Florida wind for a two-run homer in the fifth. Derek Curiel and Jake Brown both had a pair of RBI hits. Zach Yorke was the only starter who didn’t reach base, and LSU was only retired in order once.

It was a complete effort to finish a strong weekend. Two weeks remain before the Tigers see SEC competition, but LSU is playing very good baseball early in the season.

THE SCORECARD

Derek Curiel: 3-for-4, 3 RBI, 2B, R, HBP

Jake Brown: 2-for-5, 3 RBI, R

Cade Arrambide: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI

Steven Milam: 2-for-4, 3B, BB, 2 R

William Schmidt: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 91 pitches, 57 strikes

Mavrick Rizy: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K

LSU was 7-for-18 (.398) with runners on.

LSU was 5-for-5 in getting runners home from third with less than two out.

LSU outhit UCF 10-3

WHAT’S NEXT

LSU is back in action on Tuesday as McNeese State comes to Alex Box Stadium. The Cowboys were swept at Kansas over the weekend and are 2-5 on the young season.