Live Gameday Updates/Thread: No. 12 LSU Baseball vs Eastern Kentucky

Pregame

LSU lineup:

Mathis 3B

Milazzo C

Cabrera RF

Garza DH

Beloso 1B

Dugas 2B

Hampton Jr. CF

Bianco LF

Cranford SS

Drew Bianco back in left field after not starting in either of the previous two games. Hampton draws the start in centerfield.

It's also the first time Cade Doughty is not in the lineup as Gavin Dugas takes over at second base.

Alex Milazzo continues to impress Mainieri and the coaching staff and will bat in the two hole for the Tigers today.

"Milazzo is a game changer behind the plate,” Mainieri said Saturday. “He stops the other team’s running game, picks a guy off second base, gets a pitcher out of a jam. He’s just outstanding. He’s a real asset for our team, no doubt.”

Recaps of games one and two:

Game One

Game Two

AJ Labas will be back on the mound this afternoon after allowing three runs in 4.1 innings pitched in his debut last week.

There is a curfew on today's game to accommodate Eastern Kentucky's travel schedule. No inning can start after 2:30 p.m.

Top 1

AJ Labas and the LSU defense takes the field and baseball is imminent.

Labas strikes out the first batter he faces for the game's first out. Hovered around 89 mph on his fastball.

Colonels go three up, three down as Labas forces a pair of popouts to after his strikeout. Just eight pitches in that first inning for Labas.

Mid 1

Zack Mathis hit by a pitch and LSU has its first baserunner aboard.

Great snag by third baseman Lucio, who nearly turns a double play on a rocket groundball from Alex Milazzo. One away for LSU in the first, runner on first.

Cabrera pulls a single into right field, LSU has runners on the corners with one out in the first.

Sac fly from Garza brings home Milazzo. Tigers lead 1-0 with two away in the first.

Cabrera steals second, his fourth steal of the year. Tigers with an RISP

Beloso knocks a two out single to centerfield to bring home Cabrera. Tigers lead 2-0 with two away in the first.

Dugas flies out to end the inning but Tigers get two runs across.

Top 2

Dugas can't make a tough play at second as the ball bounces off of his glove into centerfield. Eastern Kentucky as the leadoff man on base.

Milazzo fires a missile to second base on a bunt and run attempt from Eastern Kentucky. That backfired.

LSU with some phenomenal defense in the second. Bianco grabs a ball at the left field wall and is able to throw the runner out sprinting back to first for an inning-ending double play

WHAT A PLAY!

Bianco makes the grab off the wall and the runners gets hung up!

💻: https://t.co/8NjQOL17m3 pic.twitter.com/8xZDbFNejb
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) February 23, 2020

Mid 2

Hampton flies out to second for the Tigers first out of the inning. Bianco up to bat after his stellar defensive play in left field.

Bianco one hops a ball to the shortstop, who is able to make the play at first. Two away for the Tigers in the second.

Cranford strikes out as LSU goes three up, three down.

Top 3

Labas making quick work of the Colonels here in the third. Forces a soft groundout and and just struck out his second batter of the day.

He currently sits at 22 pitches.

Labas goes three up, three down with a pair of strikeouts in the third.

Mid 3

Mathis chases one but is able to put his barrel on it. It's a single to right field as LSU its leadoff runner on base.

Milazzo follows suit with a single to right and LSU has runners on first and second with no outs.

Three straight singles from the top of the order has LSU with bases loaded and no outs for Saul Garza. Prime opportunity here for the Tigers

Eastern Kentucky walks in a run. This one could get out of hand early, 3-0 LSU

Now Cade Beloso gets in on the fun as he stretches a single into a double. Tigers pick up two more runs and lead 5-0 in the third.

Maurice Hampton picks up the first RBI of his career with a single to left field. Tigers lead 6-0

Hampton then steals his first base of the year, runners on second and third with one away in the third.

Eastern Kentucky commits a throwing error and LSU turns it into two more runs and a triple for Drew Bianco. Tigers lead 8-0 here in the third with one out.

LSU scores seven runs on five hits to take a 9-0 lead in the rubber match game. The nine runs is already the most LSU has scored in a single game this year.

Top 4

Labas allows a double into left and the runner advances to third on a sac fly. Eastern Kentucky in position to score here in the fourth.

Labas bounces back with a strikeout. Gavin Dugas bobbles a ball but is able to make the play at first to end the inning

Mid 4

Milazzo reaches on a walk but Cabrera strikes out. One out here in the fourth.

It's 10-0 LSU as Cade Beloso rockets his second hit of the day into right field. Another error from Eastern Kentucky allows Milazzo to score from first.

Dugas pops out to end the inning.

Top 5

Much like Marceaux yesterday, Labas is averaging 10 pitches an inning through 4.1 innings. Just insane efficiency from both players

Labas at 51 pitches through five innings. Colonels have gone three up, three down in three of those innings.

Mid 5

Hampton flies out to shortstop to get the inning started. Hayden Travinski is also warming up so he might be coming in to replace Milazzo soon at catcher.

Tigers go three up, three down. LSU leads 10-0

Top 6

Hayden Travinski in to replace Milazzo at catcher for the remainder of this one.

Labas starts the inning off with a walk followed by a strikeout. Howie then blasts a single to right field

Colonels with runners on first and second, one away.

Labas allows a two out double to the right field corner and Eastern Kentucky brings home two runs. Hampton chases down a pop fly in centerfield to end the inning.

Tigers lead 10-2

Mid 6

Zack Mathis grounds out to second to start the inning. Travinski getting his first appearance at the plate this weekend.

A Cabrera walk is all LSU can muster in the sixth, Labas back out for another inning.

Top 7

Labas punches out his sixth batter of the day. Outside of that hiccup last inning, he's been phenomenal.

Three up, three down for the Colonels, the fourth time Labas and LSU defense have done that today.

Mid 7

Beloso draws a leadoff walk and Eastern Kentucky makes its fourth pitching change of the day.

Gavin Dugas just took a pitch to the head and is still on the ground. Mainieri and the training staff out checking on him.

He's sitting up now and is slowly helped up to his feet. He's walking off on his own which is a great to see.

Runners on first and second with no outs for LSU in the seventh

Collier Cranford grounds out to end the seventh. Tigers six outs away from clinching series.

Top 8

Brandon Kaminer in to pitch for LSU. Hal Hughes replaces Gavin Dugas at second base for the injured Dugas.

Kaminer strikes out the first batter he faces. The bullpen has done a great job this weekend as three runs have been scored, all coming in the ninth inning of Saturday's game.

Kaminer strikes out batter No. 2

Fifth three up, three down inning for LSU today. Kaminer looked great in that inning.

Mid 8

Zack Mathis draws a walk and has also been hit by a pitch today. Travinski flies out to right field.

One on with one out in the eighth. Cabrera and Garza strike out to end the inning.

Top 9

Jacob Hasty in to pitch for the Tigers in the ninth. Hasty retires the first two batters but just hit a guy. LSU has two away in the ninth.