LSU Baseball's Red-Hot Start Continues With 9-4 Win Over Notre Dame Fighting Irish

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Right-hander Cooper Moore worked 5.2 innings Saturday for his second win of the season, and a balanced LSU offense pounded out 12 hits as the top-ranked Tigers defeated Notre Dame, 9-4, in the Live Like Lou Jax Classic at Vystar Ballpark.

LSU improved to 7-0 on the season, while Notre Dame dropped 2-3.

The Tigers return to action at 2 p.m. CT Sunday when they face UCF in the final game of the Live Like Lou Jax Classic in VyStar Ballpark.

Moore (2-0) limited the Irish to three runs on eight hits in 5.2 innings with one walk and six strikeouts. He threw 78 pitches, 62 for strikes.

Three LSU players – designated hitter Cade Arrambide, catcher Omar Serna Jr. and leftfielder Brayden Simpson – produced two RBI in the victory, and righfielder Jake Brown collected four hits and scored three runs.

“I was very proud of the team today,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “It was a good win, and we’re going to get ready to try and win the tournament tomorrow. I think our offensive approach for two days has been great here, and I think we’ve even left some things on the table. That’s how good it’s been, we’ve scored 23 runs, but there is still something out there for us.

“Credit to the hitters, I thought we did a great job with runners in scoring position today. A lot of line drive strokes, guys not trying to do too much and really understanding winning baseball.”

Notre Dame starting pitcher Caden Crowell (0-1) was charged with the loss, as he surrendered five runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings with one walk and four strikeouts.

LSU grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when leftfielder Simpson and third baseman Trent Caraway each delivered RBI doubles.

The Tigers extended the lead to 5-0 with three runs in the third as second baseman Seth Dardar lined an RBI single, Serna Jr. provided a run-scoring single, and Simpson drew a bases-loaded walk.

Arrambide’s two-run homer in the fourth – his second dinger of the season – increased the Tigers’ lead to 7-0.

Notre Dame narrowed the gap to 7-3 win a run in the fifth and two runs in the sixth, but LSU responded with two runs in the sixth as shortstop Steven Milam scored from third on a wild pitch and Serna drew a bases-loaded walk.

LSU relievers Ethan Plog, Deven Sheerin and Dax Dathe combined to limit the Irish to one run on one hit over the final 3.1 innings with eight strikeouts.

“Another strong effort by our pitching staff,” Johnson said. “Cooper gave us a great start, and Plog, Sheerin and Dax all have great stuff, and when you can go to a bullpen like that, it gives you a great chance to win.”

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