Marceaux, Tigers Dominate #5 Gamecocks, 5-1

Photo By: LSUsports.net

4/15/2021
By: Jordan Taylor
Da Boot Sports



   BATON ROUGE, LA: LSU is coming off a much needed series win in Kentucky to give the team some life in the SEC standings. The road doesn't get easier as the season progresses with the SEC spread all over the top 25. 
  This weekend LSU welcomes the Gamecocks of South Carolina for not your traditional weekend series beginning on a Thursday afternoon.
   The Gamecocks are riding a three game win streak into Baton Rouge for this series with a record of 22-9. They will meet a LSU team still trying to find rhythm with a 20-12, record but only 3-9 in SEC play.
   LSU comes into Thursday night's contest holding the all time series lead 39-29-1.. The last meeting between these two teams came in Hoover, AL. when LSU would need 12 innings to beat the Gamecocks.
   The matchup between pitchers tonight will be Landon Marceaux for LSU while Thomas Farr will start for South Carolina.

   Below is our full game recap.... 


          1st INNING:

   Landon Marceaux would draw the start for the Tigers and would have a three up three down inning to start the ball game.

   Morgan would lead off slicing a single up the middle and would later move into scoring position after he recorded his 9th steal of the season, advancing to third on a catchers throwing error.
   Tigers would strike first with a long gone two run homerun from Gavin Dugas to give LSU a 2-0 lead. LSU would come close to extending their lead as Giovanni DiGiacomo just missed a three run homerun that was caught at the wall to end the inning. 




          2nd INNING:
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   Marceaux would pick up right where he left off, with another strong, scoreless, three up three down inning..

   LSU first two batters would fan quickly but the Tigers would avoid the three up three down inning after Tre' Morgan would get a two out base hit. However he would get thrown out trying to take second to end the 2nd inning. 




          3rd INNING:

   The Gamecocks would go scoreless in the 3rd, stranding a runner on second base.

   LSU would manage two runners on base with two outs, but would leave them stranded as Carolina's pitcher Thomas Farr would get the Gamecocks out of the jam. We would head to the 4th inning with LSU still on top, 2-0.




          4th INNING:
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   Marceaux would show signs of control issues early in the 4th. A wild pitch and a hit batter would set up runners at 1st & 2nd with only one out, but Landon would show a lot of grit coming back with back to back strikeouts to end the threat.

   Tigers would go scoreless in the bottom of the 4th as Farr continue to pitch a strong game.





          5th INNING:

   It would be a three up-three down inning for the Gamecocks as Marceaux would easily dominate another inning....

   The scoreless inning streak would continue as LSU would fail to bring Crews home from 3rd base. The Tigers would still hold onto a 2-0 lead heading to the 6th.





          6th INNING:

   The Gamecocks would show some life here in the 6th with leading off single to right field in front of Crews. Two batters later Marceaux would hit a Gamecock to give them runners at 1st and 2nd. A wild pitch would advance the runners to 2nd and 3rd setting up a RBI opportunity from the four hole in the lineup. Landon Marceaux would make the big pitch to get the big guy swinging in the dirt for a huge strikeout.
   Jordan Thompson would make a diving stop that would save two runs from scoring to tie up the game,  leaving two runners stranded, protecting their 2-0 lead.

   Cade Beloso would leadoff with a single, against a new Gamecock pitcher, but the base runners would quickly vanish after South Carolina would roll up a 4-6-3 double play. The inning would end with a Travenski strikeout.





          7th INNING:

   South Carolina would have something cooking after Mendham would send one into the right center gap for a stand up triple.
   Marceaux would need to dig deep to get out this jam and that's exactly what he would do. After a huge strikeout to get the first out of the inning, Jordan Thompson at short would make a huge play as he would field a ground ball and instead of getting the out at first would gun down the runner at home to save a run. The final out would be recorded with a swing and a miss strikeout that would give Landon Marceaux a career high at 12 strikeouts. 

   The Tigers were looking for an insurance run and that they would get and a little bit more after
Tre' Morgan would get aboard with a one out walk.  He would then go from first to home after Dylan Crews would rope a RBI double down the left field line to extend the lead to 3-0.
   The hits wouldn't stop there as Dugas would follow Crews with a screamer to center field to put runners 1st and 3rd.
   Cade Doughty would then bring Crews home with a sacrifice fly, giving the Tigers a 4-0 lead heading to the 8th.





          8th INNING:

   Devin Fontenot would be your new pitcher and he would make quick work of the Gamecock hitters as he would face three batters and strike out all three.

   Cade Beloso would send a leadoff homer deep into the night that would clear the Diamond Deck in right field to extend the lead to 5-0. That's all LSU would get as they would head to the 9th up by five.





          9th INNING:

   Fontenot would return for his second inning of work with another run added to his lead. The Gamecocks would get a runner aboard after a throwing error. Next hitter in the order would reach with a walk. Then the bases would load up after Fontenot would hit a batter. But Devin Fontenot would get out of the jam after the defense would roll a huge double play, then he would follow up with retiring the next batter on a swinging strikeout.


Final Score
LSU                   5
South Carolina     1 



    Landon Marceaux was absolutely dominating with seven strong innings on the mound while getting out of every jam that was presented his way. A career night for strikeouts for the talented junior who's freshly new to this game one roll.
   LSU would gain the lead early and never look back to take a much needed home win. Devin Fontenot came in and shut the door with strong pitching in the 8th followed by getting a big double play in the 9th. 
  Strong pitching, timely hitting, and sensational defense were keys in this victory over the Gamecocks. Couldn't of asked for a better outing from this Tiger team from the effort stand point, and playing a complete game from start to finish.

Winning Pitcher-
Landon Marceaux (4-3) 7.0 in, 3 h, 0 er, 1 bb, & 12 k's

Offensive leaders-
Tre' Morgan       2-3
Gavin Dugas     2-4  Two run homerun
Cade Beloso       2-3  Solo homerun

   LSU improves to 21-12 (4-9) on the season while South Carolina falls to 22-10 (8-5)....

   Next up is game two between LSU and South Carolina Friday night at Alex Box Stadium. First pitch is set for 7:00pm..

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