LSU Beats #2 Ranked Bulldogs, 8-3 To Avoid Sweep

Photo By: Jonathan Mailhes

3/22/2021
By: Michael Lanclos
Da Boot Sports


   LSU would look to avoid being swept by the Bulldogs while finally get a little pay back. The Tigers bats would finally wake up as they outhit the Bulldogs 7-6, and would win game three, 8-3 in Alex Box Stadium. 
   This was the first SEC win for the Tigers as they would improve to 16-5 overall and 1-2 in the SEC.  2nd ranked Mississippi St. would drop to 16-4 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.
    It was beautiful weather in Baton Rouge and a jubilant group of LSU faithful satisfied with Sunday's outcome. 

   
   Mississippi St. got things started right out of the gate in the first inning, after 2 outs, Tanner Allen would get hit by a A.J. Labas pitch to reach first base, then steal safely to second base.
   Kamren James would step up and hit a hard shot up the middle that would allow Allen to score, giving State a 1-0 lead. 
   
   In the bottom half of the Inning, the Tigers would respond.  Bulldogs Pitcher Eric Cerantola would
struggle as he would give free passes to Tre' Morgan and Brody Drost.  Morgan would record his 7th steal of the season, taking second base safely.  Dylan Crews would then reach first base on a fielder's choice, with  Drost taking the out at second base, while Tre' Morgan would move up to third.  A wild pitch would score  Morgan, and move Crews to second. Another wild pitch would advance Crews to third.  Gavin Dugas would ground out, bringing Crews home giving LSU the lead, 2-1 as we would head to the second inning.


   
​   The Bulldogs would go down quietly in the second inning as Labas would get the Bulldogs out in order. The Tigers would manage to get a player on base, but a double play would get State out of the inning with no damage done.



    In the third inning the Bulldogs would get things started with a leadoff double by Scotty Dubrule to right field.  After Dubrule would advance to third on a ground out, Bulldogs batter Tanner Allen would hit a deep fly ball to left field.  Gavin Dugas would jump up on the wall and snag the ball for the out. However,  Dubrule would tag up and score to tie the game 2-2.  A.J. Labas would register a strike out to end the inning.  

    Collier Cranford would lead off the bottom of the third with a single to the left side of the field.  A ground out, would advance Cranford to second base putting him in scoring position.  A pass ball by Bulldogs pitcher Jackson Fristoe would allow Cranford to move to third base. Dylan Crews would step to the plate and line out to end the LSU threat, stranding Cranford on base. 



   Neither team would be able to produce any runs over the next two innings, as both teams would go three up-three down in the fourth and fifth frames.



   Labas would continue to pitch well, as he would again put the Mississippi State down in order to send us to the bottom of the sixth.

   Gavin Dugas would give the Tigers their first lead of the weekend series as he would hit a two out, solo homerun over the left field wall to put LSU up 3-2 after six. 



   Ty Floyd would enter the game replacing Labas on the mound to start the seventh and pick up where
Labas left off, taking the Bulldog hitters down in order quickly.
   
   LSU would get their bats going after the seventh inning stretch as Mitchell Sanford would lace a single up the middle. Cranford would then sacrifice punt Sanford to second. 
   Tre Morgan would then double up the middle, scoring Sanford.  Brody Drost would then step to the plate and hit a deep fly ball over the right center field wall for a 2 run homerun, putting LSU up 6-2. 




   Floyd would give allow the Bulldogs to plate a run in the top of the 8th after giving up a couple of hard hit singles, ending his day as Mainieri would go to the bullpen grining in Devin Fontenot. Fonteneot would quickly get the final two outs to end the State's chance at a come back.   

   In the bottom of the 8th inning, LSU would get rolling again as Cade Doughty and Drew Bianco would each earn walks.  Jordan Thompson would then rip a double to right center field as the right fielder gave a diving effort, but came up empty missing the ball.  Doughty and Bianco would both score to make it 8-3 LSU. 

   Fontenot would get the State batters out three up-three down to end the ball game, giving LSU a 8-3 vicotry.
  
   A.J. Labas would earn his first win of the season (1-0), while Fontenot would register his second save on the year.   

   LSU will now travel to Tulane on Tuesday, March 23, first pitch scheduled for 6pm, before traveling to Knoxville to take on 13th ranked Tennessee for the weekend series.     

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Photos Below By: Jonathan Mailhes

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