It took until Sunday morning, but LSU completes the sweep of Mississippi State.
After a three-and-a-half-hour rain delay, LSU defeated Mississippi State 17-8 with the game ending at 1:45 AM.
It was the second straight game LSU celebrated a victory after midnight and the second SEC series sweep for the Tigers, both coming at home.
Despite the late start, LSU’s bats were awake as the Tigers scored eight runs in the first inning and knocked out Mississippi State starting pitcher Karson Ligon in the first inning.
Jared Jones started the scoring with a screaming line drive over the center field wall for a two-run homer. It was his tenth home run of the season and his first hit of the series. He’s also now hitting .404 of the season.
Ethan Frey also drove in two runs with a single.
Chris Stanfield, Derek Curiel and Jones also had RBI singles in the first inning.
Coach Jay Johnson called it one of the best offensive innings he’s ever seen as the Tigers came ready to play and swung the bats well after being held to two runs on Friday.
Mississippi State tried to get back in the game as they scored four runs in the second inning off LSU’s starting pitcher Chase Shores.
Other than that inning, Shores pitched well, and he got through in four innings. He almost didn’t get through the fourth inning. While trying to handle a one-hopper, the baseball hit his glove than his face. Shores retired the final hitter he faced despite significant swelling developing around his left eye.
LSU used its two best relievers to secure victories in games 1 and 2 of the series, Zac Cowan and Casan Evans.
So, it was not smooth sailing for the guys coming out of the pen for game 3 as most of them struggled with their command.
LSU’s bullpen walked five and hit three batters.
Conner Ware walked two as he struggled with his fastball command. Mavrick Rizy walked one and hit a batter. DJ Primeaux walked the only two batters he faced, and they both scored. Cooper Williams hit the only batter he faced.
Eventually LSU will need to find relievers they can count on other than Cowan and Evans.
Maybe Jaden Noot is that guy. He’s now had five straight good appearances. He got the final six outs on Sunday morning, throwing 17 strikes out of 27 pitches.
“We really needed someone to settle the game and he definitely did that,” Johnson said.
But all and all this was a good series for the Tigers, despite having to wait several hours to play games two and three.
They showed in game one they can come from behind and win. They won a pitcher’s duel on Friday 2-1. And on Saturday night-Sunday morning, LSU’s bats were just too much as they had 19 hits.
LSU is now 26-3 overall, 7-2 in the SEC, one game back of first place Georgia.
Coming up this week for LSU, much needed days off on Sunday and Monday and then the Tigers will host Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night and then it’s a trip to 9th ranked Oklahoma for Thursday, Friday and Saturday series.
