HOOVER, Alabama – If the primary goal was to keep the established pitchers sharp and improve the second tier staff at the Southeastern Conference Tournament, No. 1 LSU did that on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. But the offense put on a putrid display in a two-hit, 2-0 loss to Ole Miss in a semifinal Saturday at the Hoover Met.
It was the Tigers’ first shutout since, 4-0, at Arkansas on April 15, 2022, which was coach Jay Johnson’s first season.
“We will attack that,” Johnson said. “I expect us to be better Friday.”
That would be in the opener of the NCAA Regional against an opponent to be determined on Monday during the NCAA Selection Show at 11 a.m. on ESPN2 when the 64-team field and eight national seeds are announced. LSU (43-14, 19-11 SEC regular season for third-place tie) is expected to receive a top eight seed that secures a home site for the NCAA Regional and Super Regional.
While LSU struggled at the plate, redshirt sophomore Jaden Noot, a 6-foot-4 right-hander, started on the mound and made a strong bid to be LSU’s No. 3 starter or an option for the postseason by striking out seven in four innings while allowing only one earned run on three hits and two walks in four innings. Noot has been gradually improving since coming back from Tommy John elbow surgery that made him miss all of the 2023 season and all but one inning last year.
Redshirt sophomore Chase Shores, a 6-8 right-hander who also had that elbow surgery to cut short his ’23 season before he missed all of ’24, continued to pitch well in relief after losing his No. 3 starter role through the first half of the season. Shores displayed a 102 mph fastball multiple times in throwing a hitless shutout over two and two-thirds innings with three strikeouts and three walks.
And 6-5 junior transfer Jacob Mayers via Nicholls State threw another hitless shutout over two innings and a third with four strikeouts and no walks as he also hit triple digits with his fastball.
That followed well the sterling performances of LSU’s top two starters – Kade Anderson and Anthony Eyanson – on Friday in a 4-3 win over Texas A&M.
But the offense managed just two harmless singles. Cade Arrambide and Chris Stanfield registered LSU’s only hits in the third inning after one out with the Rebels leading, 1-0. Lead-off hitter Derek Curiel followed by striking out and would finish 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. Then No. 2 hitter Jared Jones flew out to center and would also finish 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
LSU didn’t put another run on second base until the ninth inning.
LSU’s first seven hitters went a combined 0-for-21 as Ole Miss true freshman right-handed starter Cade Townsend allowed two hits over four and two-thirds innings with three strikeouts. Left-hander Gunnar Dennis pitched the next two and a third for the win to go to 4-1. He struck out out two and allowed no hits. Right-hander Connor Spencer got his seventh save after pitching the ninth inning.
“It’s tough to go out there and be bad on offense when we pitch that well,” Jones said. “Those three really gave us an opportunity to win. We had said four or five runs would’ve been enough to win, and it would’ve been. They (Noot, Shores and Mayers) were huge for us. I hope that doesn’t get overlooked.”
Ole Miss (40-18) took its 1-0 lead in the first inning when junior first baseman Will Furniss homered to left field off Noot for his 10th home run of the season. Furniss is the son of LSU’s career home run leader Eddy Furniss, who hit 80 from 1995-98.
The Rebels made it 2-0 in the fourth inning when Isaac Humphrey singled, reached second on a throwing error by Noot on a pick-off attempt and scored on Campbell Smithwick’s RBI single.
Ole Miss advances to play Vanderbilt (41-16) in the SEC Tournament championship game at noon Sunday. The game was moved up from 2 p.m. because of bad weather expected in the area. Bad weather forecasts moved both Saturday games up as well. Vanderbilt beat Tennessee, 10-0, in the first semifinal on Saturday.
LSU staged a threat in the ninth after two outs when Ethan Frey walked with two outs. He reached second and third on defensive indifference before Spencer got pinch-hitter Josh Pearson to fly out to center to end the game.
“It’s on to the next one,” Jones said. “It’s about getting back into character.”
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