The LSU Tigers are 30-3, 10-2 in the SEC and ranked as high as third in the college baseball polls. The Tigers are riding an eight-game winning streak after sweeping Oklahoma.
There’s plenty of talent on this team but as the legendary Yogi Berra once said “Baseball is 90% mental. The other half is physical.”
LSU Coach Jay Johnson said on Monday he’s impressed with his team’s mental approach to the game. They are currently riding an eight-game winning streak. Two of those victories came when the game ended after midnight and this past weekend the Tigers swept Oklahoma in less-than-ideal weather conditions to play baseball.
Johnson was worried about a mental let down going into Saturday’s game, but was impressed with his team’s preparation during batting practice despite the frigid temperatures.
“Man I hope these guys just don’t go through the motions and want to get out of here as fast as they can, because it was physically uncomfortable and they were running around during BP and smiling and laughing and hitting line drives, still executing their bunts, and working on defense, and I was like we are going be fine today,” Johnson said.
LSU ended up winning Saturday’s game 3-2.
Nate Yeskie mourning the loss of his father
LSU sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson delivered one of the greatest LSU pitching performances on Thursday night throwing a complete game shutout and striking out 14 hitters. Anderson did it on the same day that LSU pitching coach Nate Yeskie’s dad passed away.
Yeskie still called all 135 pitches thrown by Anderson and also called the pitches on Friday and Saturday as LSU used just five pitchers to sweep the Sooners.
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Johnson said on Monday that Yeskie has been ill for a while. Funeral services will take place at a later date, but Yeskie is not expected to miss any games.
Yeskie’s father Denny Yeskie and grandfather Bob Yeskie are both in the Wisconsin Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame.
Just how rare was LSU’s pitching performance vs Oklahoma
It’s believed to be the first time LSU pitching did not allow an earned run in a three-game series.
It’s the first time since 2005 LSU went through a three-game SEC series and only used five pitchers. In 2005, the Tigers swept Arkansas in a three-game series and they shutout the Razorbacks at Baum Stadium in Games 2 and 3.
The five pitchers used were Lane Mestepey, Jordan Faircloth, Jason Determann, Clay Dirks and Greg Smith.
Also it’s the first time LSU has swept a Top 10 team on the road since the 1997 national championship season when the Tigers swept 7th ranked Tennessee.