LSU fell behind 4-1 in the series opener but came back to win 7-5. No late-inning dramatics on Saturday in Knoxville as the Tigers lost 4-1.
Tennessee’s pitching staff was dominant. Tegan Kuhns allowed one run in four innings.
Freshman Cam Appenzeller entered in the 5th, and the Tigers could not solve the left-hander.
Appenzeller struck out Friday night’s hero, Derek Curiel, with two runners in scoring position and LSU down by three runs.
That was LSU’s last legitimate scoring threat as Appenzeller threw five shutout innings and struck out six. The only hit he allowed was the first batter he faced, Steven Milam.
The Tigers finished with five hits, while Tennessee had only three.
LSU’s defense let down William Schmidt: It was a good effort by William Schmidt, but the defense didn’t help. In the first inning, Schmidt walked the lead-off hitter, which is never good. Schmidt then allowed a single that the second baseman, Seth Dardar, couldn’t make a play on.
With runners at the corners, Tennessee hitter Blake Grimmer hit a sharp grounder to Zach Yorke, who could not make the play as the ball deflected off his body down the right field line, and two runs scored.
Schmidt gave up a long home run in the third inning to Grimmer.
And in the fourth inning, a passed ball on Cade Arrambide, before a double by Jay Abernathy, made it easy for the runner from second base to score.
What it means: As the title of the article says, you can’t come back every time. Kuhns and Appenzeller had really good stuff, and sometimes you are going to be stymied. Curiel has been hot as anyone, and he struck out twice.
Probably the biggest takeaway is Zach Yorke’s play. He’s struggling with the bat, only a handful of hits in SEC play, and defensively, he’s struggled.
With the Volunteers starting a left-hander on Sunday, I would think Yorke is not in the lineup for the rubber game.
Game 3 Starters Noon first pitch
LSU – Jr. RH Gavin Guidry (3-3, 6.64 ERA, 20.1 IP, 12 BB, 32 SO)
UT – Sr. LH Evan Blanco (2-2, 4.00 ERA, 36.0, 16 BB, 46 SO)
Guidry allowed six runs in 1.1 innings in his last start.
Blanco allowed six earned runs in three innings last week against Vandry. In a start against Georgia, Blanco struck out eight and gave up three runs in 5.2 innings.
