LSU Baseball Beats Dallas Baptist As Jay Johnson Has Midas Touch

GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor

LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson has been mixing and matching players like a mad scientist throughout this young season, often using nearly 20 non-pitchers in a game.

But he showed a Midas touch rather than any misguided madness in the No. 2 Tigers’ 7-3 victory over No. 17 Dallas Baptist in front of 5,794 Wednesday night at Globe Life Field – the home of the Major League Baseball Texas Rangers – in Arlington, Texas.

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In a pivotal fifth inning when LSU (8-1) scored four runs to take a 5-0 lead, Johnson twice tapped pinch-hitters with two outs in order to play the righty batter versus lefty pitcher game matchup game. And he got an RBI double and an RBI single, as if he was Whitey Herzog or some other MLB mastermind of situational substitutions.

After one out in the fifth, lead-off hitter Derek Curiel walked off Dallas Baptist left-handed reliever Liam Watt, who helped lead LSU-Eunice to the junior college national title last season. Jared Jones singled, and Curiel got to third. But Jones was picked off while trying to get in a run-down between first and second to get Curiel to score from third. Curiel remained at third with two outs, and Johnson made his move.

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He pinch-hit for starting designated hitter Ashton Larson, a left-handed hitter in the third spot, with right-handed hitter Ethan Frey against the lefty Watt. Right-handed hitters tend to have more of an advantage against left-handed pitchers than do left-handed hitters.

LSU RH/hitting Ethan Frey pinch hits for lefty hitting Ashton Larson vs. lefty reliever and doubles in run to give Tigers 2-0 lead in 5th over Dallas Baptist at Arlington.

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) February 27, 2025

And Frey delivered a two-strike RBI double to left-center field off Watt for a 2-0 LSU lead.

“Ethan had a really quality at-bat, and it took a little pressure off,” Johnson said.

If he didn’t mean off of him, he should have.

Then right-handed hitting Daniel Dickinson stroked a two-run home run for a 4-0 lead and chased Watt. Dillon Haines, another left-hander, replaced Watt. After switch-hitter Steven Milam hit an RBI single from the right side and right-handed hitter Luis Hernandez walked, left-handed hitting Jake Brown stepped up. Even though he doubled in the second and singled in the fourth, Brown was still replaced by Johnson with right-handed hitting John Pearson.

And Pearson singled off Haines to drive in another run for a 5-0 lead.

Jay Johnson pinch hits again with a right-hander – John Pearson – for a left hander – Jake Brown – to bat vs. a lefty reliever. And Pearson singles in a run for 5-0 lead in 5th. 4 runs after 2 outs with 2 pinch-hit RBIs.

— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) February 27, 2025

Those proved to be valuable pinch-provided insurance runs, because Dallas Baptist (6-2) cut LSU’s lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Grant Jay led off with a solo home run off LSU starter Conner Ware, who had thrown a no-hitter through four innings with six strikeouts and no walks. Zac Cowan relieved Ware, but gave up a two-run home run to Jake Bennett.

LSU answered that immediately, though, with two in the sixth. Curiel doubled to lead off and scored on a Dickinson grounder for a 6-3 lead. LSU went up 7-3 on Luis Hernandez’ sacrifice fly to center field.

Cowan allowed only one more hit and no runs over the next two innings and struck out five with one walk for the win to improve to 1-0.

Freshman Casan Evans entered in the eighth with two on and nobody out after two walks by freshman reliever Cooper Williams. After a fielder’s choice force out at second base, Evans went to a full count against Tom Poole, who lined a screamer down the first base line. But Jones, who was holding the runner on first, was in excellent position. He stabbed the line drive and touched first to end the threat.

Evans struck out the first two in the ninth, then got a ground out to end the game and earn his second save of the season. Tiger pitching struck out 13 in all and allowed only three hits.

LSU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Curiel walked to lead off and scored on Jones’ RBI double to left-center field. The Tigers could have won by much more as they put up 12 hits, but they left 15 runners on base. Curiel, Jones, Dickinson, Milam and Brown each had two hits.

“I thought it was a great game for our team,” Johnson said.

And for Johnson, who made all the right moves and will no doubt continue mixing and matching.

The Tigers take Thursday off before playing Kansas State (4-4) at 2 p.m. Friday in Frisco, Texas, in the Frisco College Baseball Classic. LSU plays Nebraska (3-4) at 4 p.m. Saturday and Sam Houston State (2-6) at 4 p.m. Sunday.