Tigers dominated in run rule loss at Ole Miss

By Hunt Palmer

THE STORY

Hopefully Nike keeps Jay Johnson’s office stocked with game shoes.

The Tiger skipper has made more walks to the mound this spring than any I can recall. His pitching staff can’t throw strikes, and the depth is non-existent. Both of those were on display Saturday in Ole Miss’s 12-2 run-ruling of the Tigers at Swayze Field.

It took six LSU relievers to get seven outs in relief of William Schmidt. Those relievers yielded eight runs on eight hits with four walks and two hit batsmen. The SEC’s most anemic offense in terms of hits in league games posted a 12-spot.

Meanwhile, the LSU offense continued its inability to create much of anything against good arms.

Rebel starter Cade Townsend is going to sign for eight figures in two months’ time. He’s fantastic. LSU did a really nice job to score a run on two hits in the first. Steven Milam stung a line drive RBI single into the right field corner. Freshmen Mason Braun and Omar Serna collected hits to open the second, and Chris Stanfield flew to center to give LSU a 2-0 lead in the second.

Good work against a good arm.

From that point, Townsend retired 13 of 15 around a pair of harmless singles. He only walked one in total. He cruised.

Meanwhile, the Tiger pitchers found no feel for the strike zone.

Ole Miss was able to score 12 runs in three innings’ time with only three extra-base hits. Six of the runs that scored reached base via hit by pitch or walk. That’s not coaching. That’s a gross inability to execute pitches which has sunk this team to a serious depth.

Missing the NCAA Tournament is not only in play, it feels like a probability at this point.

To win on Saturday, LSU needed Schmidt to work deep into the game and the offense to force Townsend out. Instead, Schmidt issued four walks in 3.2 innings and ran his pitch count up to 85 before he was pulled. His first three innings were very good despite a pair of walks he pitched around in the second. It came unraveled in the fourth. That started with back-to-back walks.

From that point, Johnson couldn’t call on his top relievers like Gavin Guidry and Deven Sheerin. It was too early, and the Tigers didn’t have a lead. So, the depth of the staff was tested. We’ve seen that play out midweek game after midweek game. It’s not good.

Right now, this Tiger team is without a rudder.

There is no discernable strength to lean on. The offense has feasted on some bad arms. The top two starters are good, not dominant. The closer is really good but needs a lead to work with. He was cooked by the defense on Friday night.

Sunday’s game carries immense weight. Falling to 6-9 with road series at Mississippi State and Georgia still to come would be a real problem spot. Not to mention that Texas A&M has taken the first two from Texas this weekend. The Aggies are in Baton Rouge next weekend.

Trouble.

THE SCORECARD

LSU pitching threw 50 more balls than Ole Miss.

Overall hitting: LSU 6-for-26 (.231); Ole Miss 9-for-26 (.346)

With Runners On: LSU 3-for-10 (.300); Ole Miss 7-for-17 (.412)

With RISP: LSU 1-for-4 (.250); Ole Miss 5-for-13 (.385)

Cade Townsend: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 84 pitches, 59 strikes

William Schmidt: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 85 pitches, 50 strikes

Ole Miss walked eight times and was hit twice. LSU walked once.

Ole Miss scored all twelve runs in its last three at bats,

WHAT’S NEXT

The series finale is Sunday at 1:30. LSU has Grant Fontenot slated to start his second straight Sunday game. Ole Miss plans on going to hard-throwing Taylor Rabe.