In the past, if you were told that Samuel Dutton went 6 innings without allowing a run while walking 2, allowing 3 hits, and striking out 7, it would've meant that LSU likely cruised to victory. The issue was on Friday Night that was Samuel Dutton's line as he was a member of the Auburn Tigers not the LSU Tigers.
After Kade Anderson's complete game shutout last week, it was clear pretty early on that this wasn't going to be the same showing. In the second inning Auburn took a 2-0 lead on a 2 RBI lead to left center. Anderson then settled in for the 3rd and 4th innings before Auburn tacked on 4 runs ending Anderson's game.
Cooper Williams would finish off the 5th inning and walk the first batter he'd face in the 6th inning which came back to bite LSU when Mavrick Rizy allowed the runner to score after an error allowed a runner to advance.
In the 7th inning, LSU's offense started to show signs of life, bringing the game back within reach for the Tigers. Auburn gifted LSU the bases loaded by hitting Luis Hernandez with a pitch, walking John Pearson, and walking Chris Stanfield. Derek Curiel would bring the first runner home on a ground out to first base before Jared Jones delivered with a 2 RBI double to right center.
The issue for LSU was that in the bottom half of the inning, Auburn clawed one of those runs back, and LSU couldn't get much going the rest of the game. LSU tried to get a rally going in the 9th inning as Chris Stanfield and Derek Curiel hit back-to-back doubles but, LSU only scored one run, losing this game 8-4.
On the first night of the season, when Kade Anderson struggled, the offense needed to pick him up, but the team couldn't do it. LSU's offense only walked five times in this game, and when the Tigers worked the Auburn staff for walks, it was their best inning of the game. Part of the Tigers' struggles is the fact that batters 5-8 and their eventual replacements all combined for, 0 hits which doesn't allow Derek Curiel and Jared Jones to do damage.
The good news for LSU is that Jay Johnson didn't burn any of his top relievers, which still gives LSU a great chance to take this series. The Tigers will send Anthony Eyanson to the mound on Saturday with Casan Evans and Zac Cowan both available to pick up the rest of the game if needed.