On Sunday, the LSU Baseball team finished off Opening Weekend sweeping the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons winning 8-1 in the final game of the series. The Tigers cap off the weekend leaving 3-0 and while the Mastodons aren't one of the top teams in the Country, there is plenty to leave this game impressed by.
Sunday marked the return of Starting Pitcher Chase Shores who was impressive as a Freshman but, Tommy John Surgery cost him most of the past two seasons. Early on in the game, Shores still looked to be finding his footing allowing a run in the first inning. After that point, Shores locked in and finished the game pitching five innings allowing just three hits and a run while striking out seven.
Purdue Fort Wayne's pitching staff kept LSU in check for the first three innings as the Tigers couldn't muster up any offense. Then in the fourth inning Ashton Larson hit one over the Centerfield wall to give LSU a 3-1 lead.
Larson Long Ball 👋@Ashton_Larson11 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/7DI2J8ZO46
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) February 16, 2025
The scoring did not end in the fourth inning as Steven Milam scored on a wild pitch followed by Derek Curiel driving in Luis Hernandez on a single. In the 5th Inning, Michael Braswell tacked on another run hitting a ball back up the middle off the pitcher to bring Jake Brown home.
Ashton Larson is fighting for At-Bats in a crowded Outfield and after his showing Today, he has a great case for more playing time as he drove in Daniel Dickinson and Jared Jones in the 6th inning with a double.
+2⃣ RBI For Ash@Ashton_Larson11 | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/1nVdun6x5H
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) February 16, 2025
While Derek Curiel joined LSU with a ton of intrigue, the only Freshman with more buzz may have been LSU Pitcher William Schmidt who made his debut out of the bullpen on Sunday. Schmidt made quick work of the three batters he faced ending his first inning with a strikeout and no runners allowed. Jay Johnson allowed his freshman the chance to pitch another five outs and he responded perfectly capping off his debut pitching 2.2 innings allowing just one hit while striking out four on the day.
Jaden Noot would finish off the game with a strikeout marking the pitching staff's 14th of the day.
Ashton Larson was the MVP for the Tigers this game going 3 for 4 at the plate with two extra base hits and five RBIs. Other than Larson, no one player had a massive showing but, the team did a great job of stringing together hits.
The LSU Baseball team now takes a day off before facing Southern on Tuesday and Nicholls State on Wednesday.