Skip to main content

LSU Baseball Explodes at the Plate for Most Complete Performance of Season, Beat Kentucky 15-2

Tigers rack up 17 hits while Landon Marceaux pitches another gem on the mound
  • Author:
  • Updated:

LSU needed a game like this. For a young roster looking for some consistency after an extremely rough start to SEC play, the Tigers took out all of their frustrations on Kentucky, loading up 17 hits in a 15-2 win over the Wildcats. 

It was without a doubt the most complete performance of the season for the Tigers as dominant pitching, clean defense and explosive hitting all combined into one positive performance.

Heading into Friday night's game, LSU (19-11, 2-8) hitting was dead last in conference play in team batting average with .201 and led the SEC in strikeouts with 99 through nine games. The offense was able to muster up just four hits in each of the three losses to Vanderbilt.

But by the end of the third inning against Kentucky on Friday, the Tigers had matched that four hit mark and taken one of their first leads in conference play this season due to a solo home run from Dylan Crews in the opening inning. The difference for LSU was its ability to finally take advantage of runners in scoring position.

The Tigers were putting the bat on the ball and by the fourth inning had loaded the bases with two more hits and a hit batter. With one out, it was catcher Hayden Travinski who came through with a huge RBI single, his first hit of SEC play, that brought home two runs and bought starter Landon Marceaux a 3-0 lead to play with. 

Travinski's single was a preview of what was to come as the Tigers would hang eight hits and seven runs on the Wildcats over the next two innings to take a commanding 8-0 lead. In his first SEC action, centerfielder Giovanni DiGiacomo would go 3-for-5 at the plate, legging out two infield singles as eight of nine starters picked up hits in the win.

"It's great to taste victory and good to get off to a good start," coach Paul Mainieri said. "We got a lot of big hits tonight and I never really felt comfortable tonight. Their strategy was to come out aggressive and we were aggressive. We got some big hits and able to extend our lead."

It was the kind of offensive explosion we'd come to expect in midweek and non-conference outings but it hadn't translated to SEC pitching until Friday. DiGiacomo, Tre Morgan, Cade Doughty, Cade Beloso, Jordan Thompson and Hayden Travinski all picked up multiple hits on the night, with Morgan and Gavin Dugas adding home runs of their own. With the three total home runs against Kentucky, LSU is once again tied for the lead in the country with 50 on the season.

"Hitting's contagious and we were definitely contagious tonight," Beloso said. "It was a great all around win for sure and we did a lot of things well. We hit in the clutch, didn't strike out a lot, Marceaux was a hound on the mound. I think this is gonna be great for us moving forward."

LSU's ace pitcher shook off a rough outing against the Commodores last week by pounding the strike zone and forcing popflys and groundouts for much of the evening. He needed just 27 pitches to get through three innings of work and 51 pitches to get through five innings. 

His changeup and slider were absolutely throwing off the Wildcat batters and by the time the sixth inning rolled around, the fact that he allowed one run and a few hits was merely a footnote with a 9-1 lead firmly in hand. Marceaux would last 7.1 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits with eight strikeouts. 

"It's almost like a weight's been lifted off your shoulders as a team," Marceaux said. "It was all around a great night but we've gotta come out tomorrow and get a victory."

LSU will look to continue the offensive explosion on Saturday afternoon with AJ Labas on the mound and the Tigers looking to clinch their first SEC series.