Tuesday night’s loss to Bethune-Cookman was painful in more than one way for LSU.
It was a nonconference loss to a team with an RPI of 212. LSU’s RPi is 67. Hosting an NCAA Regional in Baton Rouge looks less likely, unless the Tigers finish 18-12 in the SEC, which means they would have to go 12-6 in conference play the rest of the way, and the schedule is not easy.
The other painful part of Tuesday’s loss was the injuries sustained by left fielder Chris Stanfield and second baseman Seth Dardar.
Dardar jammed his ankle into the bag on a slide into second base. The injury happened in the 6th inning. Tanner Reaves replaced him in the 8th inning.
Stanfield re-aggravated a left-hand injury when he crashed into the wall trying to make a catch in the seventh inning.
Stanfield missed 15 games earlier this season because of a hand injury.
Coach Jay Johnson says the good news is that Stanfield and Dardar didn’t break any bones, but it is up in the air whether they can play this weekend in Oxford.
“I’m happy neither of them has anything structurally wrong, it doesn’t mean they are going to be able to play, because they got beat up pretty good in the two instances,” Johnson said.
Stanfield and Dardar have been a big part of a resurgent LSU offense.
Dardar is hitting .284 and leads the team in doubles with 10. He also had more walks than strikeouts, 21-19.
Stanfield is hitting a solid .273. He also plays great defense in left field and is a team leader.
It also remains to be seen how much another starter will play. Zach Yorke started in 32 of LSU’s 34 games. But he didn’t start on Tuesday against Bethune-Cookman as he’s struggled in the field and at the plate.
Yorke is hitting .250 and leads the team in strikeouts with 30, and his five errors are tied with several others for the most on the team.
“On defense, plays have to be made, it’s very black and white, plays have to be made,” Johnson said. “And offensively it’s compete in this at bat, not bring previous at bats to THE at-bat, unless that’s positively affecting you, like you learned something from it.”
With Yorke’s struggles, freshman Mason Braun and redshirt junior Eddie Yamin are two players poised to get more playing time.
If Stanfield and Dardar can’t play this weekend. That opens the door for Brayden Simpson and Tanner Reaves to get more playing time, possibly Daniel Harden.
