By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
It was just a Saturday in March, but LSU took a major step in the right direction by dominating No. 19 Kentucky, 7-0, with nine hits and excellent pitching from William Schmidt and Zac Cowan on Saturday afternoon in front of 11,268 at Alex Box Stadium.
Now, the Tigers (18-10, 3-5 Southeastern Conference) have to follow it up with a win, or they will be 0-for-3 in SEC series this season. LSU snapped a three-game home losing streak in league play with the win after losing the opener of the series, 7-4, on Friday night.
The Tigers previously lost two SEC series, two games to one, at Vanderbilt and at home against Oklahoma last weekend.
“Are we where we want to be? No,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “We really need to come out and play as well as we can tomorrow.”
Johnson had not decided who his starting pitcher for Sunday would be immediately after the game Saturday, but he said it would be a combination of pitchers, particularly the front line relievers who have not pitched yet this weekend.
Regular weekend starter Cooper Moore (3-3, 3.38 ERA) did not start Saturday in his usual spot as the No. 2 starter because of a forearm injury that will sideline him for three or four weeks. Schmidt started in his place, moving up from his usual No. 3 starter slot.
Junior right-hander Gavin Guidry (3-3, 4.26 ERA, 1 save) is one of the possible starters for Sunday along with senior right-hander Grant Fontenot (0-0, 2.45 ERA, 1 save) and junior left-hander Santiago Garcia (0-0, 4.82 ERA, 2 saves). None of those three have pitched yet this weekend.
Kentucky (21-5, 5-3 SEC) will start junior left-hander Ben Cleaver (1-1, 2.45 ERA).
Schmidt (4-1) shut out the Wildcats on six hits over five and a third innings for the win. He struck out three and walked only two with a hit batsman and a wild pitch.
“We shut out a team today that’s like 20-4,” Johnson said of the now 21-5 Wildcats. “What William and Zac did today really helped us for tomorrow’s game as far as pitchers. It will probably be a group effort.”
Cowan picked up his first save of the season by one-hitting Kentucky over the final three and two-thirds innings with one walk and seven strikeouts.
“I think he pitched better today than at any point here,” Johnson said of Cowan, who was 3-3 last year with a 2.94 ERA and six saves.
Freshman Mason Braun launched a three-run home run in the fourth inning for a 5-0 lead. His RBI double made it 2-0 in the second inning. Steven Milam added a two-run double in the sixth for the 7-0 advantage.
Braun hit his second homer of the season and finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run scored. Freshman catcher Omar Serna Jr. also went 2-for-4.
“He’s a really good, pure hitter,” Johnson said of Braun. “In the SEC, the freshman who can impact a game like that are few and far between.”
Nate Harris (3-2) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in four and two-thirds innings.
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