GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Don’t mess with LSU ’round closing time at Alex Box Stadium.
The No. 3 Tigers won their fourth game out of four after midnight this season following a weather delay with a stunning, 5-4 walk-off victory over No. 2 Arkansas at 1:16 a.m. Saturday in front of a crowd of 11,658 – most of whom either stayed or came back.
‘“There’s no better team at 1 in the morning than the LSU Tigers. That’s for darn sure,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said two Friday nights ago after the Tigers scored six in the bottom of the ninth to beat No. 5 Tennessee, 6-3, on a three-run, walk-off home run by Jared Jones at 1:15 a.m.
When it’s closing time, like now, LSU closes. Another Late Show win:https://t.co/kbGLmV914J
— Glenn Guilbeau (@SportBeatTweet) May 10, 2025
Both games started at 9:55 p.m. because weather moved the original start. LSU also beat Mississippi State, 2-1, on March 29 at 12:10 a.m. after a weather delay and start after 9 p.m. at the Box and beat the Bulldogs the following night, 17-8, at 1:44 a.m. after another late start after 9 p.m. because of bad weather.
Jones was in the middle of this one, too, as he singled to lead off the bottom of the 10th, then reached second on a wild pitch by Arkansas reliever Gabe Gaeckle, who had otherwise been amazing. He had shut down the Tigers the previous three innings with five strikeouts. A Daniel Dickinson ground out to first base moved Jones to third.
And Ethan Frey stepped up with one out and needing a sacrifice fly to win the game. And he delivered to left-center field deep enough. Center fielder Justin Thomas Jr. threw home, but Jones just got in. LSU’s players exploded from the dugout, but had to wait a moment as Arkansas called for a review of the play.
“The runner is safe,” the umpire said moments later, and it was over.
“I never thought one of my favorite things to do would be to talk to Chris Blair at 2 a.m. after beating a juggernaut,” Johnson said on the postgame show with the Voice of the Tigers.
“Absolute stud,” Johnson said of Frey, whose solo home run in the fourth put LSU up 2-1.
The Tigers (39-11, 16-9 Southeastern Conference) won a critical game toward winning a critical three-game series against the Razorbacks (40-10, 17-8 SEC) with a top eight national seed and Super Regional host site on the line for LSU.
Game two is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday on the SEC Network.
Former LSU coach Skip Bertman will be signing copies of his biography beginning at 3:30 p.m. at his statue in front of Alex Box. The series finale will be at 3 p.m. Sunday on the SEC Network.
LSU trailed 4-2 until the seventh inning when it scored two to tie. After one out, Jake Brown singled before Steven Milam and Chris Stanfield walked to load the bases. Then Derek Curiel drove in both with a single to left field for the 4-4 score. Milam was originally called out at the plate, but a review reversed that as catcher Ryder Helfrick missed the tag.
Arkansas took its 4-2 lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI ground out by Wehiwa Aloy off reliever Chase Shores. The Hogs went up 3-2 in the top of the sixth when Aloy’s brother Kuhio Aloy led off with a home run off LSU starter Kade Anderson. But Anderson recovered to strike out the next two batters. He then left the game, though, with a cramped wrist as Shores replaced him.
“He couldn’t get it loose,” Johnson said. “But he’s OK. It eventually loosened up, and he threw two practice pitches at 92 miles per hour.”
Anderson allowed three runs on seven hits in five and two-thirds innings with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Relief ace Zac Cowan (3-2) picked up the win after relieving Shores to start the eighth. He threw three innings of scoreless ball, allowing two hits and two walks with three strikeouts. Gaeckle (4-2) took the loss.
Arkansas ace left-hander Zach Root allowed five hits and two runs in six innings with no walks and six strikeouts.
LSU took a 1-0 lead off Root in the third inning when Stanfield doubled and later scored on Jones’ RBI single. Cam Kozeal homered off Anderson for a 1-1 tie in the fourth.
“I do want to say thank you for all the fans for either staying or coming back at the late hour,” Johnson said. “It made a difference. The Box was the Box tonight, and it made a huge difference.”
Yes, Alex Box is the late night place to be.
If LSU does host the NCAA Regional and Super Regional rounds, perhaps Johnson should just ask for a 9:55 p.m. start.
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