GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
LSU’s bullpen could not hold a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning at Texas A&M and lost the game, 6-4, and the series, two games to one, on Sunday afternoon at Blue Bell Park in in College Station.
And now, the Tigers (33-11, 15-9 Southeastern Conference) will be under some pressure to maintain a top eight RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) to get a top eight national seed for a home NCAA Super Regional, should they get by a home NCAA Regional at Alex Box Stadium. LSU entered the weekend ranked No. 2 in three polls, but with a No. 7 RPI.
The Tigers lost a road series in the all-powerful SEC, but Texas A&M (27-20, 10-14 SEC) was not ranked coming in and had a No. 37 RPI. So not a good RPI weekend for the Tigers.
And guess who’s coming to Baton Rouge for a three-game series this weekend? Why, No. 5 RPI Arkansas (40-9, 17-7 SEC), which will be fresh off a three-game sweep of No. 1 Texas (38-8, 19-5 SEC).
LSU and Arkansas open the series at 6:30 p.m. on Friday on SEC Network+. The final two games of the series at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday will be on the SEC Network. The Tigers host Grambling on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the last mid-week game of the season. LSU closes the SEC regular season at South Carolina (26-22, 5-18 SEC).
ANTHONY EYANSON SAVED LSU’S TRIP TO A&M
The Tigers took their 4-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning on a two-out, two-run home run by catcher Luis Hernandez to left field off Aggies’ starter Myles Patton for his seventh homer of the season. Daniel Dickinson started the rally with a one-out single through the left side. Then Michael Braswell III flew out to center field, bringing up Hernandez.
Hernandez also gave LSU a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a two-out RBI double to left-center field that scored Braswell, who scored from first base after reaching on a fielder’s choice. Then Steven Milam singled Hernandez in.
The Aggies cut their deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth and chased LSU freshman starter Casan Evans. After one out, Evans walked Ben Royo and Gavin Kash back-to-back, then allowed an RBI single to Terrence Kiel II. Left-hander DJ Primeaux replaced Evans and struck out Jace Laviolette. Right-hander Jaden Noot replaced Primeaux and got Wyatt Henseler to ground into a force out to end the inning.
Noot struck out Texas A&M’s first two batters in the fifth, but allowed a solo home run to Kaeden Kent to tie it 2-2.
The Aggies scored four in the bottom of the eighth for the 6-4 lead. After one out, Gavin Kash doubled off Chase Shores. After Shores struck out Terrence Kiel III for the second out, Conner Ware came on, but allowed an RBI single to Laviolette to cut LSU’s lead to 4-3.
Relief ace Zac Cowan relieved Ware, but gave up a single to Wyatt Henseler before Caden Sorrell slammed a three-run home run for the 6-4 lead, handing Cowan (2-2) his second loss in three days. Cowan took a 3-1 loss in relief in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday before LSU won the nightcap, 2-1.
In all, LSU’s last four relievers – Noot, Shores, Ware and Cowan – gave up five runs on six hits with one walk over four and a third innings.
Evans had his worst outing of the season near his Houston hometown, but he allowed only one run on three hits in three and a third innings. But he had an uncharacteristic three walks.
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