Tigers take Gamecocks in Hoover, 10-3

Photo By: Charlotte Observer

Da Boot Sports
5/24/2023
By: David Penn


   HOOVER, AL - Thatcher Hurd got the call for #5 LSU (43-13) in their first game of the SEC tournament and turned in a quality start that limited South Carolina to 3 runs on 4 hits through 5.1 innings, Hurd only walked 2 hitters and earned 4 Ks.
 
   The offense backed the pitching with 12 hits that produced 10 runs for LSU which was highlighted by a two run blast by Brayden Jobert that started the scoring in the second inning.

   “It was a really good performance by our team,” Coach Jay Johnson said. “It starts with Thatcher. Great start. Had command of all his pitches. Really got himself reset when he got into any type of trouble, whether it was the count or runners on base, and he did a terrific job. We played a very clean game defensively, and when your pitcher pitches like that, it makes it much easier to do that.”

   Hurd had been producing for LSU as a closer his last few outings, showing good command of the strike zone and shutting down the opposition, which earned him the start vs the Gamecocks. Hurd (4-2) had limited the Gamecocks to 1 run until the sixth inning when he issued a bases-loaded walk that accounted for South Carolina’s second run of the game.

   Sam Dutton walked the only batter he faced in the sixth inning with the bases loaded that accounted for the Gamecocks final run of the game and cut the LSU lead 6-3.

   Coach Jay Johnson went back to the bullpen to bring in Nate Ackenhausen, who would come on for LSU and go the rest of the distance, not allowing South Carolina another run. Ackenhausen notched 6 Ks in the 3.2 innings he worked and earned his second save.


   The Tigers saw the ball well from the batter’s box throughout the game hitting .363 as a team and 8 different Tigers accounted for the 12 hits. Jobert launched his 2 run shot over the right field wall in the second inning.

   The Tigers would add four more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Josh Pearson and Tommy White drew bases loaded walks that scored Jobert and Gavin Dugas. Tre’ Morgan hit a sac fly that scored Dylan Crews, followed by another sac fly from Hayden Travinski that scored Josh Pearson, which gave LSU a 6-1 lead through five innings.
 
   LSU would add a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Morgan and Travisnski hit RBI singles in the sixth that scored Crews and Pearson, and in the seventh inning Crews and White hit RBI singles that scored Paxton Kling and Dugas.  Crews, Pearson, White, and Jobert had 2 hits each. White, Morgan, Hayden Travinski, and Jobert each collected 2 RBIs. The lone long ball for the Tigers came off the bat of Brayden Jobert.

   Ethan Petry homered off Hurd in the 5th inning to put South Carolina on the board before a pair of bases loaded walks scratched across in the sixth. Eli Jones got the start for South Carolina and was charged with the loss, giving him a 4-4 record on the year.

​   LSU moves on in the winner’s bracket and will face Arkansas for the fourth time this season tomorrow at 5:30pm, Arkansas walked off TA&M 6-5 in extra innings. Coach Jay Johnson picked up the 400th win of his career.

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