Opioid crisis requires a multi-pronged effort
June 1, 2018
Joie ‘de Vivre
June 1, 2018
The LSU baseball team arrived in Hoover; Alabama Last week needing to win a game or two to even make the NCAA Tournament at all.
They left with their swagger back and renewed hopes that they could make a run in the Big Dance, which begins this weekend at ballparks around the country.
LSU did not win the SBC Tournament this past weekend, but they sure put up one heck of a fight – starting the week as the No. 3 seed in the field and needing to win a single-elimination game last Tuesday to even get into the bracket at all.
By the tune it was all said and done. LSU played six games in six days and beat the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country in RPI before falling to Ole Miss in the Finals on Sunday.
With the wins. LSU slid off the NCAA Tournament bubble and into the field, though their Regional site destination was not known at press-time on Monday morning.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri said he’s proud of the fight his team showed to make a run in a tournament which the Timers have had so much success in the past.
“I’m SO proud of this team for what it accomplished this week.” Mainieri said. “We came here with our postseason fate in doubt and we firmly established ourselves as a team worthy of sin NCAA Regional hid We had a lot of outstanding performance s throughout the week that give us a lot of hope moving forward into next week.”
The Tigers found some modi-needed pitching depth in Hoover.
LSU didn’t have much depth in arms throughout the season, but in the SEC Tournament, the Tigers found their stride.
The Tigers beat Mississippi State 8-5 in a play-in game, then lost their first double-elimination game against Florida 4-3-a game which LSU stranded several runners at inopportune times.
But them the pitching staff took over.
LSU beat South Carolina 6-4 in extra innings on Thursday – a game where the legend of Todd Peters on wash born.
After Caleb Gilbert started the game and got relief from Austin Bam and Devin Fontenot Peterson entered in the seventh inning with the score tied at 3.
Peterson worked five successful innings of relief, then had to hit for himself in the 12th inning when Bain’s spot in the batting order cam up.
Peterson, who had not hit since early in his high school career, saw a few pitches, then uncorked a bomb to left field, which plated two runs and put LSU on top 6-3.
Peterson then got three outs in the bottom of the 12th inning to secure the win.
“I will never forget this, honesty” Mainieri said. “We have struggled through some really ugly games and tough days We have also had some really special moments and today was one of them.”
LSU fed off Peterson’s mojo.
After beating the Gamecocks, LSU slaughtered No. 1 Florida 11-0 in a mercy-rule win. masks to timely hitting, shaky Gators’ defense and dominant pitching from Matthew Beck and local Cam Sanders, who combined to work sax shutout innings, while striking out 7.
Sanders was a farce in the entire tournament, working relief in three games without allowing a ran, which serving as a strikeout machine.
“The key to the game was the performance of Beck and Sanders,” Mamieri said. “Matthew pitched oat of some jams and made some big pitches and Cam was electric when he was on the mound.”
Than Zack Hesa became an ace pitcher again.
LSU beat Florida on Saturday morning because fog delayed the ending of the game an Friday night.
That pushed LSU into the SEC Tournament Semifinals where they earned a date with Arkansas, who cruised through the winner’s bracket undefeated.
Hess changed that.
Just days after pitching in relief on Tuesday against Mississippi State, the LSU sophomore was masterful against a dynamic Razorback ‘offense, working seven innings allowing just one hit and striking out 7.
The lone offense for LSD in the game was a two-run home run from Zach Watson, which erased a 1-0 Arkansas lead and put LSU out in front 2-1-a margin which never faded because Nick Bush came out of the bullpen in relief and got the final six outs of the game to secure the win.
That sent LSU to Championship Sunday against an Ole Miss team, which quite frankly, took advantage of the lack of arms mat the Tigers had to offer.
The Rebels exploited LSU’s pitching, plating runs in five out of the nine innings to control the entire flow of the game.
LSU started Caleb Gilbert but be left in the fourth inning when Sanders was again dynamite, working three clean innings and striking out four batters.
But in the late innings, Ole Miss hammered LSU’s B-List relievers and secured the SEC Title.
Peterson and Antoine Duplantis were named to the All-Tournament team for LSU. which will now faces win or go-home weekend like everyone else in the NCAA Tournament.
LSU closer Todd Peterson had a huge SEC tournament for the Tigers.
