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Tigers storm back to beat Nebraska and claim Frisco Classic

Mar 1, 2025 | 8:01 PM

(Photo Credit: @LSUbaseball on X)

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY: Overcoming a five-run deficit takes time and teamwork.

LSU had plenty of both on Saturday evening in Frisco. The Tigers roared back to score 10 unanswered runs to beat Nebraska 11-6 at Riders Park.

Nebraska took the fight to LSU early scoring three runs on four hits in the first off of starter Anthony Eyanson. They would add single runs in the second and third to make it 5-0. The Huskers were celebrating base hits, raucous in the dugout, and LSU didn’t really punch back.

The two plays that exemplified the inverse of Nebraska’s early energy were Derek Curiel being picked off in the first and Cade Arrambide trying to pick a bouncing slider with his backhand instead of blocking the ball. Nebraska went first to third on the wild pitch. The Tigers simply didn’t match Nebraska’s early energy or level of play.

But LSU never buckled. They went to work, and every single player contributed. Want proof?

  • Curiel: Two hits and an RBI
  • Jared Jones: Two hits and two RBI
  • Daniel Dickinson: Double, run, initiated a 4-6-3 putout on a hot shot up the middle. It was LSU’s defensive play of the season
  • Josh Pearson: Three doubles and a single
  • Steven Milam: Two RBI hits, and hit by pitch and a run
  • Jake Brown: RBI single and a sac fly
  • Arrambide: RBI ground out for LSU’s second run
  • Tanner Reaves: Doubled and scored in the fourth
  • Ethan Frey: Walked with two out and scored in LSU’s six-run seventh
  • Chris Stanfield: Two hits, two walks, a run and two driven in. Plus, a diving catch in center to keep the momentum.

This was LSU’s offense at its best. The Tigers never made anything easy and hit 1-through-9 in the lineup. Without a single homer, LSU bashed 17 hits and scored 11 runs.

Jones may be the only proven slugger, but that doesn’t make you a weak offense.

And while it took LSU a little while to get it in gear offensively, Eyanson responded when the Tigers did. He didn’t fool anyone in the first three innings. Nebraska was on the breaking stuff and hitting the ball hard all over the ballpark. Eyanson didn’t flinch. He kept working.

When LSU got three in the fourth, Eyanson mowed the Huskers down in order with a pair of strikeouts in the bottom half. LSU added a run in the fifth, but Milam, the tying run, was cut down at the plate to end the inning. That could have given Nebraska life. Eyanson struck out the side in the bottom half.

After giving up five runs in three innings, Eyanson was able to complete six innings without giving up any more damage.

LSU has more dominating arms. Kade Anderson, Chase Shores, William Schmidt, Casan Evans and some of the other arms have more natural ability. Eyanson won’t generally blow teams away like those guys can. What he has to do is throw strikes and get outs. That’s the role for he and Zac Cowan on this staff. If Eyanson can get through six allowing about three runs most times out, LSU will take that.

If he can’t, there are other options available.

Speaking of Schmidt, he came in to work a scoreless ninth with a strikeout.

Saturday was LSU’s most impressive win of the season based on the early circumstances and the complete dominance when the momentum swung in the fourth. Friday’s win was great, but Kansas State kicked a ground ball late. LSU failed in some late-game execution spots. It was a gritty but flawed win.

LSU just beat the brakes off Nebraska in every phase for the last five innings. It was clincal.

THE SCORECARD

We went through most of it above, but some other stats.

  • 17-for-41 (.415) in the game
  • 10-for-18 (.556) with 2 out
  • 7-for-18 (.389) with runners in scoring position
  • 3-for-3 in getting a runner in from third base with less than 2 out
  • Seven 2-out RBI

LSU did not commit an error and made two sensational plays in the field (Stanfield’s diving catch and Dickinson and Milam on the flip and throw put out).

The top of Nebraska’s order was great. Joshua Overbeek, Devin Nunez and Cayden Brumbaugh combined to go 7-for-14 with five runs scored.

LSU only issued two walks.

THE QUOTES: Anthony Eyanson on what he improved on after the third…

“We always talk about the most important pitch is the next one. As the game went on, I kept thinking about that in my mind. Just keep making pitches. Keep executing. I have the greatest defense behind me. It feels good to pitch knowing that you have that behind you. So, just wanted to keep focus on that next pitch.”

Steven Milam on LSU taking momentum…

“Down five right away, we’ve been there. We had 11 guys last year that had to go through that. So, we just kind of led and kept chipping away, kept chipping away, and eventually we got to them. I feel like they just kind of folded. They didn’t know what to do. That’s credit to our offense and then our pitching shutting them down. We had 17 hits in that game. I don’t know how you gameplan for that.”

Jay Johnson on the two wins thus far in Frisco…

“That’s two days in a row where we had the lead, we lose the lead, we get the lead again, lose the lead, make a great play, get to extra innings and win. That was a great character building win. As was this. We don’t have to just totally rely on the pitching or the just totally rely on the offense. It’s a well-rounded team with high-character guys. And I’m glad everybody got to see that the last couple of days.”

WHAT’S NEXT

LSU has won the Frisco College Classic. Now it’s on to a 4:00 first pitch with Sam Houston. The Bearkats are 2-8 on the season and have lost both games this weekend to Nebraska and Kansas State by a combined score of 22-6.

LSU will hand the ball to Chase Shores to get things started. The LSU coaching staff would love to see Shores work to around 90 pitches.

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