LSU musters just three hits in one-run loss to Sacramento State

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY

After a big night Friday, LSU’s offense got hungover.

By the time they showed any life, it was too late. Sacramento State evened the series with a 5-4 win at Alex Box Stadium.

LSU mustered one hit through seven innings and pushed across its first two runs in the eighth thanks to a pair of walks, a wild pitch and a throwing error on a slow chopper to third. Zack Yorke’s RBI double was the only solid contact of the frame. Daniel Harden clubbed a pinch-hit, leadoff homer in the ninth to cut the lead to one, and back-to-back walks to Steven Milam and Jake Brown put the tying run in scoring position and the winning run at first.

Yorke struck out, and Seth Dardar flew to center to end it.

After a 15-run outburst in game 1, the Tiger offense reverted back to the form of the last week and dropped LSU to 4-4 in its last eight games.

Cooper Moore held the rope for 4.2 innings, only allowing one run on a two-out double by Cameron Sewell in the second. He pitched out of a bases loaded jam later in the inning to limit the damage. Ethan Plog relieved him for a very strong 2.2 innings of scoreless relief without allowing a hit.

That 1-0 Hornet lead remained until the eighth.

Deven Sheerin loaded the bases with Hornets via two walks and a single. With two outs in the inning, Jaden Noot was summoned and tried to sneak a 2-2 heater by Sewell who hammered it over the wall in right center for a grand slam to make it 5-0.

Questions are fair at this point. My confidence level in the group is still high, but undoubtedly Saturday was an ice bath on a tremendous effort in the series opener.

One pitch and swing was the difference in the game, but that’s because LSU was so feeble for essentially nine full innings. The Tigers left 10 men on base and were just 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Three hits in a game against Sacramento State is pitiful. Making it worse is a severe lack of hard contact once again.

THE SCORECARD

Cooper Moore 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 89 pitches, 49 strikes

Ethan Plog: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 26 pitches, 16 strikes

Cameron Sewell: 2-for-3, 2B, HR, 5 RBI, BB

Curiel/Milam/Brown: 0-for-10, 5 BB, 4 LOB

LSU was 3-for-32 (.094)

LSU with runners on: 1-for-18 (.056)

LSU with RISP: 1-for-12 (.083)

LSU was 0-for-2 trying to score a runner from third with less than two out.

LSU was 0-for-8 against left-handed pitching.

WHAT’S NEXT

LSU and Sacramento State will conclude their series Sunday with a 1:00 first pitch. William Schmidt will attempt to build on his stellar outing from a week ago.