LSU Dominated By Vanderbilt Again, 11-2

Photo By: Jonathan Mailhes

4/3/2021
By: Jordan Taylor
​Da Boot Sports



   BATON ROUGE, LA: Heading into Friday night's contest, LSU took one on the jaw on Thursday and would have to regroup quickly as #1 Vanderbilt would be licking their chops heading into game two.
   LSU will look to turn the tables in game two by coming out to play with more heart and pride. The Tigers  would have their hands full tonight as for the second night in a row, they would face one of the nation's best pitchers, Jack Leiter.   
   This LSU baseball team is off to its worse start in the SEC at 1-6 since 1969, and are having trouble trying to put things together. 

   Below is our game two recap between LSU & Vanderbilt.



          1st INNING:

   Vanderbilt would lead off tonight's game with single from Enrique Bradfield Jr followed by Carter Young drawing a walk, but would leave runners aboard as the Tigers would keep them stranded.

   LSU would look to strike first in the bottom half of the first, hoping to get to Leiter early. Will Stafford would reach first safely on a throwing error, followed by back to back walks by Crews and Dugas to load the bases with only one out. But the Tigers would eventually leave the bases loaded after Leiter would get out of the inning with back to back strikeouts.





          2nd INNINGS:

   After getting the leadoff hitter out, Jaden Hill would begin to struggle as Vanderbilt would get things rolling in the top half of the second.
   A single, an LSU error, and a walk would load the bases up. Vandy would cash in with a two RBI double from Bradford. 
   The fireworks wouldn't be over as the next batter up Carter Young with two runners on, would send one
deep into the night to give Vanderbilt a 5-0 lead.
   LSU would retire the next two hitters to stop the bleeding.

   Not much going for the Tigers at the plate as they would go 1, 2, 3 with three straight strikeouts to make it six so far in the game for Leiter.





          3rd INNING:

   Blake Money would replace Hill for the Tigers who apparently suffered some type of an arm
injury. Vanderbilt would lead off the third with single, but Money would then force a ground ball by Jack Bulger  that would become a 6-4-3 double play to clear the bases. After a single by Roddriguez, Money would fan the next batter to end the top of the inning.

   LSU would continue their struggles at the plate, avoiding another 1, 2, 3 inning by sending four to the plate, but Leiter would still register three straight strikeouts to make it nine in a row. 





          4th INNING:

   Both teams would go scoreless in the 4th inning as both pitchers would have a three up-three down inning.





          5th Inning:

   The Commodores would plate two more runs in the top of the 5th.  With a runner on base, Bulger would send one over the left field wall for a two out, two RBI homerun to extend the lead to 7-0. 

   The Tigers would finally break up Jack Leiter's no hitter in the 5th thanks to Collier Cranford slicing a single into the outfield to finally get something going for Tigers. Tre' Morgan would single and advance to second base on an error, putting runners on the corners for Stafford. Stafford would come through grounding out to short stop to bring Cranford in from third base. That would be the first run that Jack Leiter had allowed in past 25 straight innings.
   The Tigers would be unable to move Morgan in as he would be stranded at third base to end the 5th inning with Vandy now up, 7-1.





          6th INNING:

   Vanderbilt would push another run across the plate in the 6th. With a runner on first and two out, Carter Young would rip a triple to right field scoring Bradfield from first. We would head to the bottom of the frame with Vandy now up, 8-1.

    Jack Leiter would give up a one out, solo homerun to Cade Doughty. It would be the first homerun given up by Leiter this season. The Tiger bats could manage nothing more as we would move on with the Commodores up, 8-2.





          7th INNING:

   Will Hellmers would replace Money on the mound for the Tigers to start the 7th inning of play.  Vanderbilt would add to their already large lead. With one out, Noland would hit a double, followed by a base on balls to Bulger.  Spencer Jones would step to the plate and single up the middle, to score Noland. Bulger would end up on third while Jones would advance to second on the throw.  Vandy still had more work to do as two batters later Gonzales would hit a two RBI triple to right field, assisted by Brody Drost slipping in the outfield on the play. The Dores now lead 11-2.

   LSU would add some base runners after two Vandy errors would put runners on second and third with two outs, but LSU would fail advancing either of them home, as the misery at the plate would
 continue on...





          8th INNING:

   Both teams would go three up-three down in the 8th inning....





          9th INNING:

   Brandon Kaminer would enter the game for LSU to try and get Vandy's final three outs. He would give up a single, but nothing more as we would he to the bottom of the 9th inning...

   LSU would get a walk from pinch hitting Zach Arnold, then Sanford would pinch hit and single through the right side of the field after a Drew Bianco strike out. Travinski would be the 4th pinch hitter of the inning but would come up unsuccessful with a strike out. Safford would be the last hope for LSU but would fly out to center field to end the game.


Final Score::
Vanderbilt 11
LSU         2


   It would be back to back rough nights for LSU, as Paul Mainieri would see his team outscored in front of the home crowd 24-3.
   Vanderbilt has showed us why Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter are both the real deal and are top 5 major league prospects in this upcoming draft. Some believe they may be the first two picks.  The Vandy pitching staff has just dominated the LSU hitters. 
   Vanderbilt takes the series from LSU after back to back blow out victories and will go for the sweep
tomorrow when the teams line up for game three.
   LSU will try to avoid back to back weekend sweeps.  The Tigers will need AJ Labas to pitch strong and go deep into the contest if they hope to try and pull one out against the #1 team in the country.
   Status on starter Jaden Hill still unknown after being pulled early from tonight's game due to injury. 


   Next up for LSU will be game three against #1 Vanderbilt to close out Easter Weekend at 2:00pm on Saturday.


LSU falls to 17-10 overall, 1-7 in SEC play... While the defending national champions Vanderbilt Commodores improve to 22-3 overall, and 7-1... 

Winning Pitcher            Losing Pitcher
Van-Jack Leiter 7-0        LSU-Jaden Hill 2-3

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Photos Below By: Jonathan Mailhes

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