LSU Baseball Report: Battle-Tested Tigers Continue Shining

No. 1 LSU showed grit in their come from behind victory at South Carolina. After going down early, their late-game success propelled them to a huge win on the road.

Last week, this program faced adversity after being without Chase Shores and losing Garrett Edwards to an elbow injury on Friday, but saw a heroic performance from Gavin Guidry.

Here's the recap from the week and an update on what's to come this weekend:

Last Week’s Results (2-1)

April 4 (Tue.) – Nicholls (W, 12-2 – 7 innings)

April 6 (Thu.) – at South Carolina (L, 5-13)

April 7 (Fri.) – at South Carolina (W, 8-7)

April 8 (Sat.) – at South Carolina (canceled, inclement weather)

This Week’s Schedule

April 11 (Tue.) – at Tulane, 6 p.m. CT (ESPN +)

April 13 (Thu.) – KENTUCKY, 6 p.m. CT (SEC Network)

April 14 (Fri.) – KENTUCKY, 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network +)

April 15 (Sat.) – KENTUCKY, 1 p.m. CT (SEC Network +)

Tigers Update

· LSU won two of its three games last week, including an SEC two-game series split at No. 3 South Carolina … LSU’s 26-5 record is its best through 31 games since 2015, when the Tigers were also 26-5.

· LSU, which has been ranked No. 1 all season by all of the college baseball polls, enters this week at or near the top of several NCAA statistical categories … the Tigers are No. 1 in the nation in shutouts pitched (7) … LSU is No. 2 in the nation in on-base percentage (.450), runs scored (321), scoring average (10.4 runs per game) and strikeouts pitched per nine innings (12.0) … the Tigers are No. 3 nationally in hits allowed per nine innings (6.49), No. 4 in slugging percentage (.586) and WHIP (1.16), and No. 5 in batting average (.328).

· LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews is No. 1 in the nation in batting average (.510), on-base percentage (.645) and in runs scored (53); he is No. 4 in slugging percentage (.882) … third baseman Tommy White is No. 1 in the nation in RBI per game (1.82) and No. 2 in total RBI (51) … right-hander Paul Skenes leads the nation in strikeouts (91), strikeouts per nine innings (17.30), hits allowed per nine innings (3.99) and WHIP (0.61) … Skenes is No. 2 in the nation in ERA (1.14) and No. 5 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.38).

Hitting Notes

· Graduate second baseman Gavin Dugas batted .444 (4-for-9) in LSU’s three games last week with one double, one triple, one homer and seven RBI … he also walked twice and was hit by a pitch, posting a .538 on-base percentage … in Friday’s win at third-ranked South Carolina, Dugas launched a two-out grand slam in the top of the eighth inning, erasing a 7-3 deficit and tying the game at 7-7 … LSU went on to score the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth and secure an 8-7 victory … the grand slam was the third of Dugas’ career – he hit two grand slams in 2021 – and it marked his 10th home run this season … in LSU’s win over Nicholls on Tuesday, Dugas was 3-for-3 with a double, a triple and three RBI.

· Shortstop Jordan Thompson hit .500 (3-for-6) in two games at South Carolina with two homers, five RBI and three runs scored … designated hitter Cade Beloso batted .429 (3-for-7) at South Carolina with one homer, three RBI and three runs scored … Beloso provided the game-winning hit in the top of the ninth inning on Friday, when he broke a 7-7 tie with an RBI single and lifted LSU to an 8-7 victory.

Pitching Notes

· Freshman right-hander Gavin Guidry posted the first two pitching wins of his collegiate career last week, as he recorded relief victories over Nicholls and third-ranked South Carolina … he recorded a combined 3.0 scoreless innings with one hit, one walk and six strikeouts … in Friday’s win over the Gamecocks, Guidry pitched the final 1.2 innings, limiting South Carolina to no runs on one hit with one walk and three strikeouts … he entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and the score tied 7-7, and he retired two straight batters to end the inning; after LSU took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth, Guidry blanked the Gamecocks in the bottom of the frame by striking out the side to end the game … Guidry earned the win over Nicholls on Tuesday night by pitching 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts … he entered the game in the top of the third inning with two runners on and LSU trailing 1-0, and he recorded a strikeout to end the inning … he then blanked Nicholls in the fourth inning, firing two more strikeouts.