Observations (3/28): LSU returns the favor, shuts out Kentucky 7-0
LSU evened the series by shutting down the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.
After dominating LSU in game one, No. 19 Kentucky was on the receiving end of a lopsided loss in game two. LSU shut out the Wildcats 7-0 on Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge. The loss moves Kentucky to 21-5 overall and 5-3 in league play.
The series opener was all UK as it jumped out to a 4-0 lead and kept it that way in an eventual 7-4 final score. Junior Jaxon Jelkin was a big part of that as he turned in his best outing at Kentucky by going eight innings and surrendering two runs. LSU flipped the script on Kentucky in game two to even the series.
Below are some takeaways from the loss.
Bats can’t come through
Kentucky did not put up jaw-dropping numbers in the game one win, but got the big swings when it counted to win the game. The Wildcats had plenty of chances to get that swing in game two but could not as they finished 1-11 (.091) with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base.
The first opportunity came in the opening frame after third baseman Luke Lawrence reached on an infield single and moved to third on a stolen base and errant throw with two outs. However, first baseman Hudson Brown struck out to nullify the threat. The second inning was similar as DH Tagger Tyson singled and moved to second on a groundout, but catcher Owen Jenkins fouled out to end the frame.
Another opportunity presented itself in the third inning as right fielder Ryan Schwartz and Lawrence singled. Shortstop Tyler Bell struck out in a long at-bat before Brown flew out to extinguish the threat. Second baseman Ethan Hindle led off the fourth with a walk, but a double play and a flyout ended the frame.
Another prime opportunity came in the fifth as Jenkins was plunked and moved to second on a wild pitch. After an out, center fielder Jayce Tharnish singled and stole second. Lawrence flew out to shallow right and UK coach Nick Mingione opted to send Jenkins and he was thrown out at home. This upset Mingione and the Kentucky staff as it wanted obstruction called, but the ruling was not changed.
A similar situation presented itself in the sixth as Bell led off with a walk and Hindle singled with one out and stole second. Back-to-back strikeouts from Tyson and left fielder Carson Hansen ended another threat. The bats went quietly in the seventh, going down in order.
The eighth inning gave Kentucky another chance to crack the scoreboard as Bell and Brown were at the corners with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts silenced the rally. Kentucky went three-up, three-down in the ninth to end the game.
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Tigers get to Nate Harris
Sophomore righty Nate Harris was tasked with following up Jelkin’s excellent start and he got off to a good start with a three-up, three-down first inning. A single and a stolen base put a runner in scoring position in the second, but Jenkins threw him out going to third. However, the Tigers sparked a rally with a walk and double. A sacrifice fly opened the scoring, but the damage came on an RBI-double to cap off the two-run inning.
Harris led off the third with a walk, but a pop out and caught stealing got the righty two outs. He walked another batter before a flyout ended the inning. Free passes hurt Harris in the fourth as he walked two hitters and they came around to score on a three-run homer by Mason Braun that gave LSU a 5-0 lead.
He was back on for the fifth and struck out the first batter before giving up a single. Harris had a come-backer hit at him and he turned it into an out, but it ended his afternoon (did not appear injury-related). Harris finished with the following final line: 4.2 innings, five hits, five runs, five walks and two strikeouts.
Bullpen has a mixed outing
Sophomore lefty Leighton Harris came on in the fifth with two outs and a runner on, and he struck out a batter in three pitches to end the inning. The lefty was back on in the sixth and ran into some trouble with a leadoff walk paired with a single. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position with no outs and a groundout ended Harris’ outing.
Junior righty Ryan Mullan came on and got a popout before giving up a double that scored both runners to make the deficit 7-0. Brown made a leaping grab at first to end the sixth and Mullan’s outing. Redshirt sophomore righty Oliver Boone came on in the seventh and gave up a single, but it was erased on a double play. Back-to-back walks put the pressure back on Boone, but he struck out the next batter to end the inning.
The righty was back on for the eighth and gave up a single along with a walk in between two outs before Mingione was back out of the dugout. Senior righty Ira Austin IV, who previously pitched at New Orleans and is a Louisiana native, rounded out the Kentucky arms in game two as he came on and got the final out of the eighth.
Kentucky and LSU will play for the series on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Junior left-hander Ben Cleaver is scheduled to pitch for the Wildcats.
