LSU Beats Auburn, 9-6 To Win Series... Will Try For Sweep On The Road

Photo By: Michael Bacigalupi

5/8/2021
By: Terrill J. Weil
Da Boot Sports


   Auburn, AL:  LSU would win game two, 9-6 against Auburn on Friday night to take the series.  After winning game one 8-3 on Thursday night, the Tigers continued their improved play on the road and will look to sweep the Tigers on Saturday at 2:00pm. 


   The 1st inning began with nice action at the plate for both teams.  Tre' Morgan would leadoff the game being hit by a pitch, followed by Dylan Crews blasting a double down the third base line, scoring the speedy Morgan from first base. 
   Crews then moved to third base on a wild pitch by Trace Bright.  Gavin Dugas would then sacrifice fly out to right center, scoring Crews for a 2-0 LSU lead. 
   Doughty and DiGiacomo both grounded out to end the top of the inning. 

   Auburn wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Tyler Miller launched a one out, solo home run to right field to cut the LSU lead in half, 2-1. 
   Rankin Woley would ground out for the second out, before Steven Williams hit a solo home run off of AJ Labas to tie the score at 2-2. 
   Labas recorded the final out to send us to the 2nd inning all even at 2-2.

   Auburn would bounce back in the bottom of the 3rd inning.  Ryan Bliss blasted a one out, solo homer to give the Tigers their first lead of the contest.  The third solo home run of the game given up by Labas. 
   We would go to the 4th inning with Auburn up 3-2.

   In the top of the 5th, with one out, Alex Milazzo would get on base safely on a fielding error.  Morgan singled to left field, advancing Milazzo to second base.  Dylan Crews would step up next and single to right field, but Milazzo rounded third trying to score. Auburn would be able to gun him down at the plate for out number two. 
   Dugas then singled to left center, scoring Morgan to tie the game at 3-3. Cade Doughty would strike out swinging, stranding Crews and Dugas on base. 

   In the bottom of the 6th, Auburn responded with another home run off of AJ Labas. With two outs and a runner on first, Ryan Dyal blasted a homer over the left center field wall. 
   Paul Mainieri finally went to the bull pen, bringing Javen Coleman in to pitch. Coleman recorded the third out to get the Tigers out of trouble, but damage had been done with Auburn now leading 5-3 as would head to the 7th inning. 

   The top of the 7th started with Auburn pitcher Will Morrison hitting Drew Bianco for a free pass to first base. Milazzo then put down a successful sacrifice bunt to move Bianco to second. 
   Morgan would then single to center field to move Bianco to third base.  With runners on the corners and only one out, Dylan Crews reached first on a fielder's choice, with Auburn getting Morgan out at second, as Bianco crossed the plate.
   Gavin Dugas would step up next and draw a base on balls to put runners on first and second with two outs, setting Cade Doughty up at the plate with a RBI opportunity. Doughty came through with a single to left field, scoring Crews and moving Dugas to third. 
   DiGiacomo would continue the Tigers hot streak at the plate coming through with a single up the middle, scoring Dugas and advancing Doughty to second base. 
   With LSU now up 6-5, Jordan Thompson ended up drawing a walk to load the bases with two outs hoping to add more to the scoreboard. But Auburn would get out of the jam as Beloso popped out to first base to end the scoring threat. 

   Coleman returned in the bottom of the 7th inning and got the leadoff hitter to fly out before beginning to struggle. Coleman  then issued a base on balls, before allowing the runner to advance to second base on a wild pitch. He then hit the next hitter up, before allowing the runner on second, Steven Williams, to steal third base.  Cam Hill then singled up the middle, scoring Williams to tie the score up at 6-6. 
   Devin Fontenot entered the ball game and quickly retire the next two hitters to end the 7th inning. 

   LSU answered in the top of the 8th, as they would find themselves with runners at the corners with two outs. Auburn catcher Ryan Dyal, couldn't handle a pitch from Cody Greenhill, allowing Drew Bianco to score from third on the passed ball. 
   Gavin Dugas would strike out swinging to end the Tigers at bat but not before LSU would regain the lead, 7-6.

   The Tigers extended their lead in the top of the 9th. DiGiacomo would hit a one out single to left field. Jordan Thompson then stepped up and hit his 8th home run of the season to left center field to put LSU up 9-6. 
   Auburn would go to the bull pen to bring in their seventh pitcher of the night, Brooks Fuller to try and get the final out of the inning, which he do quickly to take us to the bottom of the inning. LSU now needs only three more outs to win the weekend series on the road. 

   Devin Fontenot would take the mound and record the final three outs to secure the 9-6 victory for LSU......


   “I feel like we’ve been improving with each passing game, each passing weekend,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I
think we’ve been competing really hard and some good things have been happening. I thought (LSU starting pitcher) AJ Labas pitched really well, though his final line may not reflect that. It’s tough pitching in such a homer-friendly ball park, and AJ kept us in the game.  Our bullpen has done a good job, our starting pitchers have done a good job, and we swung the bats well again tonight. We had several clutch hits that made a difference tonight.”

   The Tigers are now 29-17 overall with the win and now 9-14 in the SEC.  Devon Fontenot earned the win to improve his record to 2-2 on the season. 

   Next up, LSU will look to sweep the Auburn Tigers on Saturday at 2:00pm at Plainsman Park....

---