Pitching Woes Continue as Alabama Baseball Falls at LSU, 13-5
In a season riddled with bullpen woes for Alabama baseball, Sunday's 13-5 loss at LSU was another loss to be rightfully attributed to lacking bullpen depth.
The Crimson Tide has struggled with pitching issues since the first day of the 2021 season, where Preseason First Team All-American pitcher Connor Prielipp went down with an undisclosed injury.
Add fellow starter Antoine Jean to the injury mix along with a lack of SEC experience in the bullpen, the combined result has not led to the mound presence that the team wished for heading into the season.
“LSU took it to us today," Alabama coach Brad Bohannon said. "The ballpark was playing offensive, and we just didn’t do a good enough job of getting ahead in the count and throwing our off-speed pitches for a strike."
With Prielipp (1-1) taking just his third start of the season on Sunday, Alabama was overmatched early. After just one inning, the Tigers led 2-0 after a two-RBI home run by LSU third baseman Cade Doughty.
That was just the beginning of the Crimson Tide's mound struggles, as the Tigers added two more runs in the second off of a pair of doubles given up by Alabama reliever Hunter Ruth.
The Crimson Tide was able to cut the Tigers' lead in half in the top of the third thanks to an RBI-double by shortstop Bryce Eblin and an RBI-single by catcher Sam Praytor.
A three-run home run by LSU center fielder Giovanni DiGiacomo increased the Tigers' lead to five runs in the bottom of the third, and it was all downhill from there.
While left fielder Jackson Tate and designated hitter Will Patota hit home runs in the fourth and eighth, respectively, the addition runs were not enough to stop the deluge of runs crossing the plate for LSU.
Alabama used a total of six pitchers on Sunday with the longest outing belonging to reliever William Freeman for two and two-thirds innings. Only closer Chase Lee succeeding in allowing no Tigers runs, but even the Crimson Tide's best relief pitcher gave up two hits in one inning pitched.
In total, LSU registered 16 hits on the day and 21 total baserunners, resulting in 13 runs. All 10 of LSU's players that entered the batter's box on Sunday reached base either by earning a hit or being walked. Five of those 10 batters had multiple hits.
Prielipp was saddled with the loss for the Crimson Tide. In his one inning pitched, Prielipp gave up two runs off of three hits and struck out three batters.
LSU's Ma'Khail Hilliard (5-0) was credited with the Tigers win.
With the loss, the Crimson Tide drops to 29-19 on the season and is now 12-14 in SEC play. LSU rises to 32-19 overall and is 11-16 in the conference.
Alabama will now have Monday through Wednesday off before its final series of the regular season. The Crimson Tide will be facing Mississippi State inside Sewell-Thomas Stadium for a three-game series starting on Thursday (6 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).
"We are going to have to play a complete game for three games in a row in order to win a series against Mississippi State," Bohannon said.
