GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU coach Jay Johnson has shown a knack for pinch hitting players who deliver this season. But he may have outdone himself on Thursday night in an 11-6 victory over Alabama in front of 11,000 at Alex Box Stadium.
Trailing 5-1 in the sixth inning with two on and one out, Johnson tapped Ashton Larson to pinch-hit for catcher Luis Hernandez. Larson had exactly one at-bat in LSU’s previous 15 Southeastern Conference games at the time and last had a hit on April 1 against Louisiana Tech. No foolin’. The left-handed Larson was hitting .222 on the season (6-for-27) and had three at-bats over the Tigers’ previous 20 games.
But Larson drove Alabama right-handed reliever Austin Morris’ second pitch to him over the right field fence for a three-run home run to get the Tigers back in the game by cutting the Tide’s lead to 5-4. Larson looked to the delighted LSU dugout and hopped a few times on his way to first base as the Box exploded.
“Most pivotal at-bat in the game. Awesome for Ashton,” said Johnson, who also pinch-hit one batter before Larson by inserting lefty-hitting Josh Pearson just after Morris replaced left-handed Matthew Heiberger. And Pearson singled to right to put runners on first and second for Larson.
“It definitely got louder – the whole environment, which is really cool,” said Larson, who hit his second home run of the season. “That was special. That’s why you play college baseball – moments like that. It’s really cool. This season has not been how I pictured it going into the year.”
Larson played in 53 of LSU’s 66 games last season as a freshman and started 40, hitting .298. But with an influx of talent through the portal and traditional recruiting, he has had to take a seat in the dugout this season.
“I just try to learn from anything that happens,” he said. “Just trying to win. That’s what it’s all about. But it’s special. Just exciting to have a moment like that and to get the back back into it – one-run game.”
Alabama threatened to take the momentum Larson provided back in the top of the seventh when it put runners on second and third with two outs. And its top hitter, Justin Lebron, stepped up against LSU closer Casan Evans, who had entered after LSU reliever Jacob Mayers hit Garrett Staton to start the inning.
On a full count, Evans struck Lebron out looking on a very low pitch that was called a strike to end the inning. Alabama third base coach Mike Morrison argued vehemently with home plate umpire Darren Hyman, who ejected him.
Morrison had a point. Just ask Evans himself.
“I felt sorry for the guy,” Evans said of Lebron, who finished 0-for-4 with two strikeouts after coming in hitting .333 and tied for first in the nation with 58 RBIS and in fourth nationally in home runs with 15.
“I don’t think that was the best call that the umpire made,” Evans said. “That was a makeup call from an earlier call. They do that. I think they know when they miss a call.”
The No. 9 Tigers (33-6, 11-5 Southeastern Conference) then took advantage of the gift strike and finished in the seventh what they started in the sixth. Steven Milam’s three-run home run put LSU up 7-5 in the seventh before another run scored on an error for an 8-5 advantage.
Ethan Frey added a two-run home run in a three-run LSU eighth for an 11-5 lead.
No. 15 Alabama (30-9, 8-8 SEC) pushed across a run in the ninth for the final after reliever Conner Benge walked three of the five he faced. Zac Cowan came on to get cleanup hitter Richie Bonomolo Jr. to fly out deep to center to end the game and earn his fifth save.
Evans (2-0) got the win. He allowed zero runs on one hit and one walk with two strikeouts in two and a third innings.
“Great home run by Ashton, especially for him,” Evans said. “I know he hasn’t gotten those moments this season. For him to do that is really special.”
The series continues at 6 p.m. Friday on ESPN2. Junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson (5-1, 3.78 ERA, 71 strikeouts, 16 walks, 47 and two-thirds innings) will start for LSU against sophomore right-hander Riley Quick (5-1, 3.13 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 13 walks, 31 and two-thirds innings).
Alabama’s Kade Snell homered off LSU starter Kade Anderson in the first inning for a 1-0 lead, and former Tiger catcher Brady Neal made it 2-0 with another solo home run in the third inning.
LSU’s Chris Stanfield doubled in the LSU third and scored on Derek Curiel’s RBI single to cut the Tide’s lead to 2-1.
Alabama got two more home runs in the sixth inning off Anderson. Snell hit his second home run – a two-run shot – for a 4-1 lead after two outs. Then Bonomolo hit the fourth home run of the night off Anderson for a 5-1 advantage. Anderson has allowed a team-high 12 home runs on the season. After he gave up a double to Will Hodo, Mayers came on to strike out Jason Torres to end the inning.
Anderson struck out 10 around the home runs and walked no one, but he allowed five runs on six hits in five and two-thirds innings.
“We’re down,” Johnson said. “And had zero momentum in the game. They got some home runs off our guy after a tough previous weekend (getting swept by Auburn).”
But LSU scored seven runs in its last two at-bats for the win.
“Crazy game,” Johnson said. “Lot to peel back from that one.”
Be the first to comment