Jay Johnson Reveals Definitive Statement on LSU Baseball's Slump and What's Next

Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers hit the road to Lafayette (La.) on Wednesday for an in-state matchup against the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns where the defending National Champions ultimately fell 7-2 at Tigue Moore Field.

LSU starter Gavin Guidry (0-1) was charged with the loss, as he allowed three runs on two hits in 2.1 innings with one walk and two strikeouts.

Cajuns reliever Sawyer Pruitt earned his first save, blanking LSU over the final 4.0 innings with two hits one walk and four strikeouts.

“It’s tough to have lessons in losses, but sometimes it grabs the team’s attention,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “We’re ready to get into more of a normal routine now, and I do think we will gain value from tonight’s game.

“I’m glad we’re learning some things that we need and will do better. We’ve had a little bit of speed bump, and I’ll use that to make this team better.”

Following the contest, Johnson addressed LSU's recent struggles after falling to 11-3 with back-to-back losses this week to both Northeastern and Louisiana.

Jay Johnson's Take: What's Next for the Tigers

Message to the Tigers on Wednesday:

“We’re going to stick with it and just play cleaner baseball. Tough to have some lessons in losses, but sometimes it grabs the team’s attention. I’m ready to get into a routine now. We can practice tomorrow. I’ve got it all laid out, ready to go. I don’t think I set the team up for success with this schedule how I had it laid out.

"I do believe we have enough to be successful in it, but I’m going to own that part of it, learn from it, adjust it in future years, but I do think we will gain value. That’s clearly a top 25 team in my opinion, Northeastern will roll the CAA.

"I’m glad that we’re exposing some things both baseball wise that we need and will do better and then some personnel things and getting clarity. A little bit of a speed bump and I’ll use that to make this team better.”

The Missing Component:

“We want to score more runs. I’m going to try to keep it simple. We have to stay out of the big inning and that is going to be the biggest predictor in winning and losing. Those are usually created by free bases. We’re not getting enough of those on offense right now.

"We need to look at our hallmark of plate discipline or approach to create those and we’ve created a bunch of them in our time here when we’ve been really successful. You suppress big innings by not giving them them.

"The second three-run inning obviously the bunt got thrown down the line, but it started with just staying inside the ball with two strikes and hit the ball hard this way. They played really good offensive baseball tonight.”

Change in Approach at the Plate?

“I think it’s a guy by guy deal. Working mindset, last Sunday they know what I feel about what needs to be there from a mindset standpoint and it certainly still can be better but I do think it was better tonight.

"I think that will be fine. We need to hit mistakes better and we need to create more free bases and we need to sustain more consecutive quality at bats. When somebody has a quality at bat — we put three in a row there — Trent has the homer. Derek I think it was an infield single but he uses his speed.

"Jake hits one through the right side. We’re first and third. That one more quality at bat right there changes the game. We’re not getting that right now. When you win, you’re getting two or three in a row. We need to get some sustained quality at bats.

"It doesn’t even have to mean hit after hit after hit, but we need to create more free bases and we need to hit some mistakes.”

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