GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
No. 1 LSU left no doubt this time against North Dakota State as it 10-run ruled the Bison, 13-3, in seven innings on Wednesday night.
The Tigers, who fell behind 3-0 in the first inning Tuesday and 7-1 in the third before beat ND State 11-9, left no doubt in game two as they scored seven in the first and coasted for the win in front of a few thousand at Alex Box Stadium.
Jared Jones hit a three-run home run in the third inning after a Chris Stanfield RBI single as the Tigers went up 11-1. Jones homered again in the fifth for a 13-1 lead. He hit both to right-center field and has four home runs on the season and a team-high 36 RBIs. Jones tied Daniel Dickinson for the home run lead and finished 3-for-4.
JAY JOHNSON’S SERENIPITOUS RECRUITING LANDED PITCHER ZAC COWAN
The Tigers (13-1) sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning and put up six hits. Derek Curiel had two hits in the inning – a lead-off single and a two-run single. Steven Milam also stroked a two-run single. Tanner Reaves had an RBI single. Jake Brown drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Josh Pearson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an RBI.
“Felt like we were locked in,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said.
“We spoke on it today as a team,” Jones said of not wanting to repeat the early deficit the Tigers faced Tuesday. “We wanted to throw the first punch. I thought that was a great response tonight.”
Jones moved over to third base for the first time in a regular season game in his career, including high school, after starting the game at first base as usual. Johnson wanted to take a look at Jones at third and freshman Ryan Costello at first base. It went well and Jones did play third during the fall, but Johnson said it likely won’t happen again.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “If we had to do that, I feel like we could. It opens up some possibilities.”
Freshman William Schmidt of Catholic High started his second mid-week game and dominated again, allowing two hits and one run in four innings with seven strikeouts and two walks through 73 pitches. North Dakota State scored its only run off Schmidt in the second inning on a wild pitch after Schmidt allowed a single and walked and hit a batter.
For the second time in two nights, Johnson delved deep into his pitching arsenal by throwing a pitcher for the first time all season. Senior transfer left-hander Dalton Beck, who is also an outfielder and first baseman from Incarnate Word, threw the fifth inning, allowing one hit and a walk with two strikeouts.
Chandler Dorsey, a junior transfer right-hander from South Florida, threw two innings Tuesday, allowing no runs or hits with a walk and a strikeout in his first outing of the season.
Redshirt junior right-hander Grant Fontenot, a transfer from Texas, threw the top of the seventh for the Tigers, making his third appearance of the season. The Bison touched him up for two runs on one hit and a walk.
North Dakota State dropped to 1-11 on the season.
UPDATE: GAVIN GUIDRY LIKELY NOT TO PITCH THIS WEEKEND
Johnson has used 16 pitchers on the season and has one more to go in junior Gavin Guidry, who was not available for LSU’s last seven games because of a back/mid-body injury and has not pitched this season.
Johnson said last week that Guidry may be available this week, but he said Wednesday that Guidry will likely not pitch this weekend when the Tigers host North Alabama in a three-game series – 6:30 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
“He will probably not pitch this weekend would be my guess,” Johnson said. “He made some good strides, but what I don’t want to do is have a setback that’s going to lengthen getting him out there. I feel like we’re really on track. Hopefully, next week.”
LSU opens Southeastern Conference play on the weekend after this one at home against Missouri.
Guidry is LSU’s most experienced returning pitcher. He was 2-0 with a 2.59 ERA in 24 and a third innings last season through 22 appearances with 36 strikeouts. In 2023, he was 3-0 with a 3.77 ERA in 23 appearances. He struck out 42 in 28 and two-thirds innings.
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