No. 1 LSU Takes Series Over Arkansas With 14-5 Victory
by Staff Reporter
March 25, 20234 Comments
BATON ROUGE, La. – Top-ranked LSU used a six-run fourth inning to break a 4-4 tie and propel the Tigers to a 14-5 victory over No. 3 Arkansas in the series finale and second game of a Saturday doubleheader inside Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
In the first game of Saturday’s twin bill, LSU erased an early 2-0 deficit and rolled to a 12-2 win over the Razorbacks.
LSU improved to 21-3 overall and 4-2 in the SEC, while Arkansas dropped 20-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
The Tigers’ homestand continues Tuesday when Grambling comes to the Box for a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch. The contest will be streamed on SEC Network+ and it can be heard on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates.
“We only have three losses on the season, and after each of those three losses, we’ve responded with an outstanding performance,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “It was a great day for this team and a great day for our program.”
LSU’s third baseman Tommy White put an exclamation on the Tigers’ impressive offensive output with a grand slam in the sixth inning of Game 2 on Saturday. The four-RBI dinger was his second of the season, and it was his second homer of the game. He finished with a total of seven RBI and posted a 2-for-5 line.
LSU right-hander Garrett Edwards had a marvelous outing out of the bullpen in the nightcap. He tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed two hits on 69 while recording six strikeouts.
Freshman left-hander Griffin Herring (2-0) earned the win after firing 2.0 innings and allowing one run on two hits.
Razorback reliever Zack Morris (0-2) was charged with the loss, as he allowed four runs on three hits in one inning.
Arkansas opened the scoring in the first inning with a solo home run from left fielder Jared Wegner. Following a double and three walks, the Razorbacks held a 2-0 advantage.
LSU responded in the bottom half with a two-run dinger from centerfielder Dylan Crews. With the home run, Crews extended his hit streak to 22 games and he has homered in four straight games.
“Dylan Crews is the best baseball player I’ve ever seen,” Johnson said. “Not just the best college baseball player, the best baseball player at any level.”
Arkansas third baseman Caleb Cali ripped a two-run double in the third to give the Razorbacks a 4-2 lead, but Crews smoked an RBI single up the middle in the bottom half to cut the lead in half. Second baseman Gavin Dugas reached via a hit-by-pitch and took second on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Cade Beloso knotted things at 4-4 with an RBI knock up the middle.
Beloso finished the game with three singles and drove in one run in the process.
In the fourth inning, a barrage of LSU hits ensued as the Tigers struck for six runs. The frame began with a triple from shortstop Jordan Thompson and left fielder Brayden Jobert reaching on a fielding error. With Razorbacks’ shortstop unable to handle the hard-hit ball, Thompson scored. Dugas headed to the plate with a man on, and he launched his seventh dinger of the season to make the score 7-4.
“A special day, a special performance,” Johnson said of Dugas, who had two homers, four RBI and four runs in the doubleheader. “I’m really proud of him; he’s really persevered through injury adversity, and we wouldn’t be the same team without him.”
After a walk from Morgan and another fielding error by Arkansas, White scorched a ball over the left field wall to extend LSU’s lead to 10-4. White’s home run total increased to seven on the year.
The Razorbacks got one back in the fifth to make the score, 10-5, and White’s grand slam in the sixth accounted for the final margin.
In Game 1 on Saturday, LSU pounded out 16 hits which lifted the Tigers to a 12-2 run-rule victory.
LSU starter Ty Floyd (4-0) impressed during his outing after giving up a home run in the first inning. Floyd fired 6.1 innings and allowed three hits with seven strikeouts. He only allowed two runs, one of them earned.
“I’m super proud of Ty,” Johnson said. “He got off to a bit of a rocky start, but what a response he gave. We needed him to execute some pitches and stay focused on the present. What a performance by Ty, that was huge.”
Arkansas opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run shot to right field from left fielder Jared Wegner. Razorback centerfielder Tavian Josenberger scored after reaching on a fielding error.
LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews and third baseman Tommy White both reached on two-out singles in the bottom of the inning, but Arkansas starter Will McEntire was able to induce a groundball to end the frame.
McEntire (4-1) was charged with the loss after tossing 4.1 innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the second with a pair of dingers from second baseman Gavin Dugas and left fielder Tre’ Morgan. The inning started with a walk and a fielder’s choice. With a runner on first, shortstop Jordan Thompson roped a double to right-centerfield, which scored right fielder Josh Pearson from first.
Dugas followed with a two-run shot to give LSU a 3-2 lead, and Morgan lifted a solo home run to right and extended the margin to 4-2. In the third inning, LSU added a run to its total with an RBI triple from Pearson. First baseman Cade Beloso scored following a double and made the score 5-2.
Crews, who extended his hitting streak to 21 games with his first knock, launched a ball over the left-field wall. The LSU lead increased to 6-2. A wild pitch from Razorback reliever Austin Ledbetter allowed White to score from third to give the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
Morgan and Crews started the sixth inning with a pair of singles. With two men in scoring position, White lifted a sacrifice fly to right field and scored Morgan. Beloso followed suit with another sac fly, plating Crews to make the score 9-2.
The Tigers put three runs on the board in the seventh, accounting for the final margin in the run-rule victory.
(Release via LSU Athletics)
Box Score
In the first game of Saturday’s twin bill, LSU erased an early 2-0 deficit and rolled to a 12-2 win over the Razorbacks.
LSU improved to 21-3 overall and 4-2 in the SEC, while Arkansas dropped 20-4 overall and 4-2 in conference play.
The Tigers’ homestand continues Tuesday when Grambling comes to the Box for a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch. The contest will be streamed on SEC Network+ and it can be heard on LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates.
“We only have three losses on the season, and after each of those three losses, we’ve responded with an outstanding performance,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “It was a great day for this team and a great day for our program.”
LSU’s third baseman Tommy White put an exclamation on the Tigers’ impressive offensive output with a grand slam in the sixth inning of Game 2 on Saturday. The four-RBI dinger was his second of the season, and it was his second homer of the game. He finished with a total of seven RBI and posted a 2-for-5 line.
LSU right-hander Garrett Edwards had a marvelous outing out of the bullpen in the nightcap. He tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed two hits on 69 while recording six strikeouts.
Freshman left-hander Griffin Herring (2-0) earned the win after firing 2.0 innings and allowing one run on two hits.
Razorback reliever Zack Morris (0-2) was charged with the loss, as he allowed four runs on three hits in one inning.
Arkansas opened the scoring in the first inning with a solo home run from left fielder Jared Wegner. Following a double and three walks, the Razorbacks held a 2-0 advantage.
LSU responded in the bottom half with a two-run dinger from centerfielder Dylan Crews. With the home run, Crews extended his hit streak to 22 games and he has homered in four straight games.
“Dylan Crews is the best baseball player I’ve ever seen,” Johnson said. “Not just the best college baseball player, the best baseball player at any level.”
Arkansas third baseman Caleb Cali ripped a two-run double in the third to give the Razorbacks a 4-2 lead, but Crews smoked an RBI single up the middle in the bottom half to cut the lead in half. Second baseman Gavin Dugas reached via a hit-by-pitch and took second on a wild pitch. Designated hitter Cade Beloso knotted things at 4-4 with an RBI knock up the middle.
Beloso finished the game with three singles and drove in one run in the process.
In the fourth inning, a barrage of LSU hits ensued as the Tigers struck for six runs. The frame began with a triple from shortstop Jordan Thompson and left fielder Brayden Jobert reaching on a fielding error. With Razorbacks’ shortstop unable to handle the hard-hit ball, Thompson scored. Dugas headed to the plate with a man on, and he launched his seventh dinger of the season to make the score 7-4.
“A special day, a special performance,” Johnson said of Dugas, who had two homers, four RBI and four runs in the doubleheader. “I’m really proud of him; he’s really persevered through injury adversity, and we wouldn’t be the same team without him.”
After a walk from Morgan and another fielding error by Arkansas, White scorched a ball over the left field wall to extend LSU’s lead to 10-4. White’s home run total increased to seven on the year.
The Razorbacks got one back in the fifth to make the score, 10-5, and White’s grand slam in the sixth accounted for the final margin.
In Game 1 on Saturday, LSU pounded out 16 hits which lifted the Tigers to a 12-2 run-rule victory.
LSU starter Ty Floyd (4-0) impressed during his outing after giving up a home run in the first inning. Floyd fired 6.1 innings and allowed three hits with seven strikeouts. He only allowed two runs, one of them earned.
“I’m super proud of Ty,” Johnson said. “He got off to a bit of a rocky start, but what a response he gave. We needed him to execute some pitches and stay focused on the present. What a performance by Ty, that was huge.”
Arkansas opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run shot to right field from left fielder Jared Wegner. Razorback centerfielder Tavian Josenberger scored after reaching on a fielding error.
LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews and third baseman Tommy White both reached on two-out singles in the bottom of the inning, but Arkansas starter Will McEntire was able to induce a groundball to end the frame.
McEntire (4-1) was charged with the loss after tossing 4.1 innings and allowing seven runs on nine hits.
The Tigers responded in the bottom of the second with a pair of dingers from second baseman Gavin Dugas and left fielder Tre’ Morgan. The inning started with a walk and a fielder’s choice. With a runner on first, shortstop Jordan Thompson roped a double to right-centerfield, which scored right fielder Josh Pearson from first.
Dugas followed with a two-run shot to give LSU a 3-2 lead, and Morgan lifted a solo home run to right and extended the margin to 4-2. In the third inning, LSU added a run to its total with an RBI triple from Pearson. First baseman Cade Beloso scored following a double and made the score 5-2.
Crews, who extended his hitting streak to 21 games with his first knock, launched a ball over the left-field wall. The LSU lead increased to 6-2. A wild pitch from Razorback reliever Austin Ledbetter allowed White to score from third to give the Tigers a 7-2 lead.
Morgan and Crews started the sixth inning with a pair of singles. With two men in scoring position, White lifted a sacrifice fly to right field and scored Morgan. Beloso followed suit with another sac fly, plating Crews to make the score 9-2.
The Tigers put three runs on the board in the seventh, accounting for the final margin in the run-rule victory.
(Release via LSU Athletics)
Box Score
Filed Under: LSU Baseball
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Originally published on TigerDroppings.com
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