LSU Claims Oklahoma Series with 10-2 Game Two Win

Mission accomplished

Two weeks ago, LSU was on the road against a former Big 12 team now residing in in SEC Country looking to claim the series after winning game one.

Those Tigers ended up blowing game two and lost the rubber match in Austin. These Tigers (29-3, 9-2) righted the wrong and took game two against the Oklahoma Sooners 10-2 Friday night in Norman.

“I thought we played great tonight across the board,” Jay Johnson said. “We just played good baseball tonight; a great night by Josh Pearson and Chris Stanfield, he was outstanding tonight. So, a really complete performance, and I’m proud of our team.”

Behind a two-homer night by Josh Pearson and a 4-5 night by Chris Stanfield, LSU pounded the Sooners to win the series. The Tigers go for the sweep Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 2:00 P.M.

Anthony Eyanson had his longest outing of conference play, pitching into the sixth inning. Eyanson had a pretty solid outing: 5.2 innings, three hits, eight Ks and two runs that were not charged to him. He did, however, walk four and threw a wild pitch that ultimately led to one of Oklahoma’s two runs. The other Sooner run was aided by a Tanner Reaves error.

“I thought Anthony got ahead more in the count as the game went along, and his ability to mix his pitches was excellent,” Johnson said. “A really, really good job by him tonight, and he keeps getting better.”

Eyanson had run support early, as LSU put up a four-spot in the second inning. Stanfield hit a two-run double to plate LSU’s first two runs of the night, and then he was brought home by an RBI double from Derek Curiel. The momentum continued on to Bear Jones, who brought Curiel home with a single up the middle.

Stanfield had his best game as a Tiger (an LSU one, not an Auburn Tiger) with four hits, a pair of doubles, and four RBI. He’s proving to be a really effective 9-hole hitter for LSU as he’s hitting .333 on the year and, more importantly, .395 in SEC games.

We need to start giving Stanfield his flowers because in conference games he leads LSU in batting average, is tied for the team-lead with 15 hits, and is second on the team in both OBP (.465) and, believe it or not, slugging percentage (.605).

LSU wouldn’t score again until the sixth inning when Pearson hit his first home run of the night off of OU starter Cade Crossland.

LSU would put another run across in the seventh inning on a bizarre play where…I guess Oklahoma first basemen Dayton Tockey forgot how many outs there were? Steven Milam hit what should have been an inning-ending double play. but Tockey left the bag. Instead Milam’s grounder was a fielder’s choice and the mental miscue scored Jones.

The two extra runs were more than enough for Casan Evans, whom Jay Johnson rode all the way home. Evans pitched the final 3.1 innings of the game and did not allow a run. He only allowed a pair of hits and had five strikeouts against no walks.

LSU put the game away for good in the ninth inning, when the Tigers erupted for another four-spot. Daniel Dickinson hit his eighth home run of the season, Pearson went yard for the second time of the night, and Stanfield, of course, picked up his third and fourth RBI of the contest with his second double.

Game three of this series is setting up beautifully for LSU, more beautiful than anyone could have imagined when the Tigers touched down in Norman. Kade Anderson going the distance in Thursday’s game changed the calculus of the series, so LSU’s only had to use three pitchers through these first two games. Chase Shores, of course, will get the start Saturday, but after that everyone—aside from Evans— is available. If Shores can hand the ball to Zac Cowan with a lead Cowan could, hopefully, get LSU home for a sweep. But even if that scenario doesn’t happen, LSU’s achieved the mission’s objective: get two wins and get outta there. Everything that happens today is lagniappe and that’s a great position to be in.