The Takeaways From LSU Baseball's Impressive Opening Weekend
No. 3 LSU earned four victories in four days after facing VMI and Central Arkansas during opening weekend.
For Jay Johnson and his reigning National Champion LSU Tigers, the program continues tinkering the lineup early in the season, but Johnson has a grasp for the talent on his roster.
From a pair of true freshmen handling business to his returning players making an impact early in the season, the Tigers looked the part over the weekend.
“For me, you can command their attention for improvement better when you lose a game rather than when you win a game. I thought we had their attention and we didn’t need to lose a game to improve," Jay Johnson said. "That’s something I’m very happy about and it shows maturity in this team. It’s a completely new team and we have some good leadership that has the right approach and they did a good job with that this weekend.”
The Takeaways From Opening Weekend:
Impressive Start at the Plate
During Opening Weekend, LSU batted .380 with five home runs, 18 walks, 23 strikeouts, and 40 RBI in its 137 plate appearances with sophomore slugger Jared Jones leading the way.
Jones smashed three of the Tigers' five homers on the weekend as he continues taking that next step in Year 2.
“He’s done a good job,” Johnson said of Jones. “He’s made some real improvement the past month and I’m proud of him. He’s off to a good start and it’s not just the home runs, it’s the pitches between where I’m seeing the real growth…[On defense] He’s done a great job. He made a couple really nice picks, I like the infielders have a big target and he’s taken more pride in it.”
The Opening Weekend Numbers At The Plate.
The Tigers impressed from the plate during the first weekend of the season as Johnson continues tinkering the lineup.
Endless Options on the Mound/Friday Starter Still Up For Grabs
Thatcher Hurd handled duties as the Opening Day starter for the Tigers, but it wasn't the start LSU had hoped for from the returning right-handed pitcher.
It's a small sample size, early in the year and still time to improve, but the Friday night starting slot is clearly still up for grabs for this program.
On Saturday, Alabama transfer Luke Holman earned the start and impressed in his Alex Box Stadium debut. The first-year Tiger went 5.1 innings with 10 strikeouts, 1 walk and zero earned runs on just three hits allowed.
Johnson feels his pitching rotation is in good hands as they navigate their talent:
“It’s a great situation and I’m really confident with where we’re going to land once all the pitching pieces are in full swing. I’m even more confident leaving the weekend than I was going into the weekend and that’s a good thing. There are certainly things we’re going to improve on, but they were in control of themselves. The pitching was a lot better than how it looked on the stat sheet. That’s how I came away from this weekend.”
Freshman Kade Anderson impressed on Monday after his first career start with Fidel Ulloa looking like a player who can be the Tigers' closer this season.
There was much to like about the pitching group as all the pieces come together.
Steven Milam is Ready
If there was one player who stole the weekend, it was freshman Steven Milam. The first-year Tiger out of Las Cruces, New Mexico started in LSU's last three games at second base and impressed at the plate, going 6-for-11 with a double and four RBIs.
Coming into the season, it was Josh Pearson who looked as through he'd handle second base duties, but now Milam has given Johnson something to think about.
The 5-foot-8 youngster looks ready to be more than just a role player for the Tigers. Milam has an opportunity to take on key playing time this season with several true freshman emerging through the first four games of the season.
Milam, Kade Anderson and Jake Brown are just three of the youngsters prepared to make some noise in Alex Box Stadium in Year 1 with the program.