No. 2 LSU Claims Astros College Classic Championship After 10-5 Win Over Texas State
Second ranked LSU pounded out 19 hits Sunday, and right-hander Thatcher Hurd earned his first win over the season as the Tigers defeated Texas State, 10-5, in the Astros Foundation College Classic at Minute Maid Park.
LSU posted a 3-0 record over the weekend with wins over Texas, UL Lafayette and Texas State to claim the Astros Foundation College Classic title. Vanderbilt was also 3-0 in the event with wins over UL Lafayette, Houston and Texas; however, the Tigers captured the title by having a greater overall run differential in their victories.
LSU, which won its sixth straight game Sunday, improved to 11-1 on the year, while Texas State dropped to 7-4.
The Tigers return to action at 6 p.m. CT Wednesday when they face Southeastern Louisiana at Alumni Field in Hammond, La. The game will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network, and it will be streamed on ESPN+.
Hurd (1-1) worked the first five innings Sunday and limited the Bobcats to three runs – two earned – on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts, firing 83 pitches.
“I think Thatcher is one of the best pitchers in college baseball,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “I’m really pleased with his performance today. He’s one of the most self-aware pitchers that I’ve ever coached in terms of his commitment to improving. He’s incredibly diligent in his work, and I trust him to make his adjustments.”
Centerfielder Paxton Kling, catcher Hayden Travinski and second baseman Steven Milam each produced two RBI to spark the LSU offense.
“I thought we took a good step forward this week,” Johnson said. “We have a long way to go in terms of being as good as we want to be, but we identified the things we need to do well, and if we do them well, we’ll be really, really successful.”
Texas State starter Sam Hall (0-1) was charged with the loss as he surrendered four runs on eight hits in three innings with one walk and three strikeouts.
Leftfielder Josh Pearson’s solo homer – his third dinger of the year – gave LSU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
The Tigers erupted for five runs in the fourth inning as rightfielder Jake Brown smacked a run-scoring double, Kling lined a two-run single, third baseman Tommy White produced an RBI single and Travinski delivered an RBI with a fielder’s choice grounder.
Texas State responded with three runs in the top of the fifth to narrow the gap to 6-3, but RBI doubles by Travinski and by Milam in the sixth extended the Tigers’ lead to 8-3.
The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth when Milam smashed another run-scoring double, and pinch hitter Ashton Larson lined an RBI single.
Texas State scored two runs in the ninth, and the Bobcats had two runners on with two outs when LSU reliever Gavin Guidry struck out leftfielder Daylan Pena to end the game.
“It was a great week, going back to our win Wednesday at Rice,” Johnson said. “We got better, and I think we become more connected over the course of the road trip. Being more connected and becoming more confident is a really good step forward for us.”