Scouting Report: LSU vs. Kentucky in the Super Regionals

In just Jay Johnson’s second season at the helm of the LSU baseball program, the Tigers punched their ticket to Super Regionals where they’re set to take on the Kentucky Wildcats.

After coasting through Regionals with three straight victories over Tulane and Oregon State, this program is trending in the right direction with a chance to reach Omaha this weekend.

The No. 5 seeded Tigers will host the No. 12 seeded Wildcats in one of the more anticipated Super Regional matchups over the next few days.

LSU is looking for their first College World Series berth since 2017, and with a fiery Kentucky squad in their way, it’s set to be a lively atmosphere in Alex Box Stadium.

Here’s a scouting report on Kentucky:

Pitching

RHP Travis Smith – 48.1 IP, 4.84 ERA, 40 hits, 26 BB, 43 K's, 5 HR

RHP Zack Lee – 67.1 IP, 3.74 ERA, 58 hits, 27 BB, 73 K's, 9 HR

RHP Austin Strickland – 52.2 IP, 4.44 ERA, 42 hits, 16 BB, 57 K's, 6 HR

RHP Darren Williams – 58.1 IP, 4.01 ERA, 49 hits, 21 BB, 56 K's, 6 HR

The Wildcats boast the fourth best ERA in the SEC at 4.21. Their lineup has shifted significantly over the last few weeks with their weekend starters really hitting their stride in Smith, Lee and Strickland.

Kentucky allowed just 13 runs in five games during the Lexington Regional with their entire pitching rotation getting in on the action.

It’s been a meteoric shift for this program on the mound, and with an offensive juggernaut in LSU in their way, it’ll be an interesting matchup given their polar opposite playstyles.

Success at the Plate

2B Emilien Pitre (All-SEC Second Team): .327 avg. 16 doubles, 1 home run, 42 walks, 50 RBI

1B Hunter Gilliam: .324 avg. 12 home runs, 12 doubles, 30 walks, 69 RBI

CF Jackson Gray: .348 avg. 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 41 walks, 32 RBI, .514 OBP

C Devin Burkes: .292 avg. 17 doubles, 8 home runs, 37 walks, 52 RBI

The story of the week leading up to the Super Regional matchup has been Kentucky’s “small ball” approach. They aren’t a squad that looks to crank out several home runs a night, in fact they rank 213th in homers with just 51 on the season, but they make the most of their chances.

Look for the Tigers to utilize their elite defense to keep their base runners in check this weekend. A team that doesn’t hit for power, the Wildcats look to handle business once getting on base.

Offensive Approach

With Kentucky’s “small ball” lineup, it’s clear they don’t hit for power, but once their runners are on-base it’s a completely different story. This squad is smart with their base runners and execute steals and sacrifice bunts extremely well.

The Wildcats rank No. 5 in the country with 55 sacrifice bunts this season and lay it down to perfection nine times out of 10. When in the batter's box, they keep pitchers working on the mound, forcing walk after walk routinely.

When they aren’t laying down sacrifice bunts, Kentucky is gifted at stealing bases. They lead the SEC in stolen bases per game with 1.55 a night and proved that against LSU in their first go around.

It’s a matchup where both programs are polar opposites, but if the Tigers can stay consistent defensively, they’ll put themselves in position to be successful.