LSU wins seesaw battle 8-4 over Southern Miss

The LSU baseball Tigers survived a big scare from Southern Miss, beating the Golden Eagles 8-4.​LSU had a plan.  The plan was to get starting pitcher Cole Henry to score the Tigers 5 solid innings, and get enough run support; then turn it over to the bullpen.  Henry did his part going five strong innings giving up 2 hits, recording 6 strikeouts and 0 runs.  

"I thought Cole Henry showed you tonight why I think he's going to be one of the best if he's not already pitchers in the country" Tigers baseball coach Paul Mainieiri said after the game. 

Cade Beloso put the Tigers on the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd inning with a solo home run, his 10th of the year.  LSU appeared to take complete control of the game in the 6th inning scoring three runs.  Center fielder Zach Watson hit a two run home run over the left field wall to give LSU a 4-0 lead.  That gave Watson six home runs in his post-season career.  

Now it was time to execute phase three of LSU’s strategy.  Todd Peterson came in as relief of Henry in the bottom of the 6th inning, and worked his way into and out of a jam without giving up a run.  But in the bottom of the 7th inning the Tiger bullpen melted down.  Peterson walked the lead off hitter, and hit the next two Southern Miss batters.  

Mainieiri quickly went to Zack Hess out of the bullpen.  The result?  Golden Eagles second baseman Mathew Guidry deposited a Hess fast ball over the right field wall for a grand slam and just like that the "plan" fell apart.  The game was tied 4-4, and the stunned Tiger fan base gasped for air getting the proverbial punch to the gut on the big swing from Guidry. 

Tiger left fielder Daniel Cabrera led off at the top of the 8th with a sharp double to left center field.  Cade Beloso reached base after being hit by a pitch.  Zach Watson drew a walk from relief pitcher Hunter Stanley to load the bases.  

As fate would have it, LSU's hottest hitter Saul Garza came through in the clutch with a 2 RBI single giving LSU a 6-4 lead.  Garza recorded his 40th hit in the last 10 games. 

Garza talked about his clutch at-bat after the game. 

"I was just trying not to do to much, I just wanted to find the barrel of the bat," he said. "They had the infield in, so I just wanted to get that run in."  

First baseman Chris Reid followed with an RBI single to right field, scoring Garza.  That gave LSU the 7-4 lead.  The Tigers regained all the momentum they previously surrendered to the Southern Miss squad. 

Looking for more in the top of the 9th inning, short stop Josh Smith smashed a double to left center field.  USM immediately intentionally walked Antoine Duplantis and Daniel Cabrera.  With Cade Beloso at the plate, Smith scored on a wild pitch, running LSU's lead to 8-4.  Beloso then drew a walk once again, loading the bases.  Zach Waton struck out to record the second out of the inning, and Saul Garza grounded out to end the inning.  LSU secured a much needed insurance run, taking the 8-4 lead into the 9th inning. ​Hess settled in after the grand slam in the 7th, he cruised through the 8th and 9th innings to give LSU the 8 to 4 victory. Skipper Paul Maineri's confidence in Hess hasn't waivered.

"I think he's back to being wild thing.  He's been phenomenal since we put him in that closer roll.  There is nobody I have more confidence in on the mound than Zack Hess."  

Mainieri assured Hess is his guy: "He's going to close some big games for us."

LSU is 9-3 in their last 12 games, and are playing the best baseball of the season. 

"I think we are playing at a different level.  The character and resiliency of this team never wavered.  We're starting to play like a true team," Hess said. 

The Tigers remain in the winners bracket, and have a real shot at winning the NCAA Baton Rouge Baseball Regional tomorrow night at 8 p.m.

The Tigers will face the winner of tomorrow’s 2 p.m. elimination game between Southern Miss and Arizona State.