Kristian Garic: Grading LSU Baseball vs Texas
Whoa! There is a problem and some early season adversity for LSU baseball. The Tigers were swept in three games against Texas, dropping them in several polls to #10, #13 or #14, depending on the outlet. Here are my grades for LSU baseball.
Friday starting pitching: Friday night’s starter Zack Hess struggled again going four innings and giving up six hits, three runs, issuing four walks.
Friday relief pitching: The Tigers relief pitching wasn’t much better Friday night. The combination of Chase Costello, Trent Vietmeier, and Riggs Threadgill issued 5 walks for a total of 9. The Tigers lost 8-1. After the game - the position players said they have to produce more offense. When you issue 9 walks, it’s hard to pin the blame anywhere but on the LSU pitching staff.
Friday starting pitching grade: D
Friday relief pitching grade: F
Friday defense: LSU continued to struggle, fielding the baseball in the opening game, committing 2 errors.
Friday defensive grade: D
Friday night offense: In the opening game of the series LSU produced just one run in the loss. Josh Smith and Zach Watson produced all of the Tigers four hits - both going 2 for 4. The rest of the lineup went hitless.
Friday offensive grade: D
Saturday starting pitching: Freshman right hander Landon Marceaux experienced his first rough outing of the season. Marceaux was chased by the Longhorns after 1 and 1/3rd innings, issuing 4 walks and giving up 6 runs on 3 hits.
Saturday relief pitching: It was awful to say the least. Aaron George came out of the bullpen in relief and pitched one inning and issued 3 walks and 2 hits. Mathew Beck held the Longhorns scoreless in 3 and 2/3rds innings of work, but also issued 3 walks. Ma’Khail Hilliard finished the final two innings walking one batter and giving up zero hits. All total, between Friday and Saturday night, the Tigers pitching staff issued 20 walks in 18 innings. On Saturday alone LSU pitchers walked 11 hitters.
Saturday starting pitching grade: F
Saturday relief pitching grade: F
Saturday night offense: In game 2, the Tigers produced 6 hits in the 8-4 loss. In the first two games of the series hitters 5 through 9 went 0 for 32. Chris Reid was the highlight of the Tigers hitting lineup. Reid came off the bench as a pinch hitter and was 2 for 2 with two singles replacing Hal Hughes at third base.
Saturday offensive grade: C
Saturday defense: In game two, LSU committed one error, bringing LSU’s fielding percentage to .973. That brings the season total of 9 errors so far. That’s an average of almost one error per game.
Saturday defense grade: C
Sunday starting pitching: In game 3 of the series, Erik Walker made his first weekend start since returning from Tommy John surgery. On a “pitch count” Walker threw four innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits and walked one. In the top of the 3rd inning, Texas right fielder barreled up a two run home run to give the Longhorns a 3-1 lead.
Sunday relief pitching: Freshman Cole Henry pitched 3 and 1/3rd strong innings of relief out of the bullpen - striking out four, walking one and giving up a run. Junior Todd Peterson came in for the final 1 and 2/3rd innings, giving up 3 runs after coming on for the attempted save.
Sunday starting pitching grade: B-
Relief pitching grade: C-
Sunday offense: Chris Reid sparked a 2 run rally in the top of the sixth inning that gave LSU the lead. Zach Watson had a solid day going 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. The Tigers were helped a little bit by Texas with two errors in the six that allowed the inning to continue. The bottom of the lineup came up much bigger in the game 3 win going 5 for 9 with 5 runs scored.
Sunday Offense grade: B
Sunday Defense: LSU committed another error in this game. Short stop Josh Smith botched a double play attempt, when he didn’t step on second base for the out. That run proved to be the winning run for Texas, which ended up being the game winning run.
Sunday Defense grade: C