LSU Downs UNO 11-3, Improves to 8-1

Photo By: LSUsports.net

Da Boot Sports
3/2/2022
By: David Penn


   BATON ROUGE, LA - Temperatures in the upper 60s and clear skies made for a picture perfect night at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field as the second ranked LSU Tigers took on the Privateers of UNO.
   After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning, the Tigers responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame and never looked back as they defeated the Privateers, 11-3.

   “We’re trying to instill mental discipline in our team, focusing on what is directly in front of you,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I just felt like we were really ready to play. Pitching was really the story of the night; we got eight innings out of the bullpen with no earned runs on the board.”

   The Tigers would win decisively in their second midweek matchup, limiting UNO to a run in each of the first two innings before the pitching and defense would shut down the privateers until they would add their third in the top half of the eighth inning.     
   Garret Edwards started on the mound for LSU and pitched into the second inning before Grant Taylor would come in to start the rounds of middle relief. Edwards finished giving up the two Privateer runs on three hits and two walks.
   Taylor, Riley Cooper, Bryce Collins, Paul Gervase would finish the middle relief assignments. Taylor would walk two and
strikeout two, earning his first ever college win. Cooper and Collins would strikeout a batter a piece, while Gervase would allow one run, one hit, and punch out two. 
   Eric Reyzleman would close the affair for the Tigers, pitching the ninth inning and striking out two.
    
   Cade Doughty would start the scoring for the Tigers in the first inning when he cracked a double down the left field line which scored Tre’ Morgan. Dylan Crews would then score on a passed ball at home plate. Jordan Thompson grounded into a 5-4-1 double play but Doughty would come across home plate to make it 3-1 at the end of the first inning.
    
   In the second inning Morgan would double to left field moving Alex Milazzo to third and scoring Gavin Dugas. Crews stepped up to the plate next and singled to score Milazzo. Doughty would hit into a fielder’s choice scoring Morgan to make it 6-2 at the end of two frames.

   Jacob Berry added a solo shot in the fifth inning to increase the LSU lead to 7-2.
    
   Doughty kicked off a four run seventh inning with a solo jack to left center. Later Thompson would rope a double down the left field line scoring Berry. Then with the bases loaded, Tyler McManus would send a sacrifice fly to the warning track to score Collier Cranford. Morgan then hit a single to score Drew Bianco, finishing out the scoring for the Tigers.

   “Tonight was one of those nights offensively where we executed very well,” Johnson said. “The top of the order was doing their thing and was outstanding for us throughout the game.”
    
   No pitcher would last more than an inning for the Privateers. Starter Kyle Khachadourian was pulled in the first inning and nine more Privateers would walk out to the mound before the final out was recorded.

   Anthony Herron Jr would get the Privateers on the board first when he hit a single that scored Kasten Furr. In the second inning Jeissy De La Cruz grounded out but scored teammate Isaac Williams. The final score of the game happened when Miguel Useche reached on a fielding error that scored Amani Larry.

   With the win LSU has won their fifth straight game and is now 8-1 on the season, while UNO falls to 5-2. 

   Next up for the Tigers is a trip to Houston to play in the 'Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic' where LSU will face
​the Oklahoma Sooners on Friday, the top ranked Texas Longhorns on Saturday, and finish off the weekend against the Baylor Bears on Sunday.

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