By Hunt Palmer
THE STORY
That was the nightmare.
LSU got an early lead and went to Deven Sheerin, but it was early. Gavin Guidry hung a slider, and Georgia beat a really good offensive effort from LSU to take a game the Tigers had to have, 11-8.
I was so impressed with the Georgia offense. They were hard to strike out. They hit balls hard and created launch. LSU played a good game. LSU has to play great to beat a Georgia team that is better.
Jay Johnson made the call to go to Sheerin in the fifth up 7-3 after Willianm Schmidt allowed a…LONG foul ball to Jordy Oriach. Sheerin got him on strikes and got a fly ball to right to make it two outs. On the eighth pitch of a two-out at bat, Kolby Branch hit a fastball that scraped the wall in right center to make it 7-6. It’s not a home run in at least 13 SEC parks, but LSU knew it was playing at Foley Field. It’s a homer.
Ryan Black homered to center to tie it three pitches later. Johnson did the right thing. He had a four-run lead and went to his best guy to hold it when Wes Johnson was going to have to be conservative with his bullpen. It just didn’t work.
In the top of the sixth, LSU appeared to have scored on a one-out double play ball that was unsuccessfully turned as Georgia threw wide of first on the relay. The broadcast team suggested Hawkeye technology confirmed the overturn to a double play. I never saw it and would be surprised to see it.
In the bottom half, Daniel Jackson blooped a leadoff double into right on a ball William Patrick misplayed. Ryland Lujo’s single brought Jackson home, and that felt like a huge blow to LSU.
The Tigers, instead, countered. Steven Milam walked to open the seventh, LSU’s fourth straight leadoff walk. He moved to second on a rocket of a ground ball by John Pearson to third. A wild pitch and Jack Ruckert’s clutch ground ball to second gave LSU the lead.
Sheerin walked the leadoff man in the bottom of the seventh inning. Johnson pulled Sheerin at 50 pitches. Maybe he’s available for Sunday. Guidry surrendered a single on his second pitch and with two out and two on, hung the losing pitch.
LSU wasn’t going to win this game gifting Georgia a run in the third on a throwing error by Pearson and a wild pitch to allow a run without a hit. Schmidt hit a man and walked three in the first to gift two runs to tie the score. Milam’s two-run poke in the second spotted LSU its fourth straiht multi-run first inning road lead it couldn’t hold.
Georgia is better than LSU. The Bulldogs came from four runs down twice because of that. Without 10-run outbursts the next two days, LSU is on the brink of losing its season.
Omar Serna and Cade Arrmabide homered early. So did Pearson. They’re awesome. Mason Braun singled twice, and Derek Cruiel reached three times. The top of the order is seeing the ball great.
LSU tagged Georgia ace Joey Volchko with his worst outing in Athens. It just wasn’t enough. LSU is good enough now to play in the NCAA Tournament. They just probably won’t be in it. Not because of Friday’s effort, because of the bas baseball that proceeded it.
THE SCORECARD
William Schmidt: 4 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 5 BB, 6 K, 94 pitches, 53 strikes
Joey Volchko: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 80 pitches, 44 strikes
Georgia got the leadoff man on five of nine times. It scored in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th.
Georgia outhit LSU 11-to-9
Georgia drove in 8 runs with two outs
Derek Curiel: 2-for-3, BB, 2 R, RBI
Cade Arrambide: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
WHAT’S NEXT
Game two is set for 6 p.m. central. LSU will turn to freshman Marcos Paz. Georgia will counter with right hander Dylan Vigue who has not lost an SEC start.
More LSU Stories
