Time for LSU's core players to deliver
LSU was two outs away from a series sweep against Auburn – one which have put it in solid shape for being selected a NCAA tournament regional host.
LSU had a two-run lead against Auburn with Zack Hess, who had retired eight consecutive batters over a two-day period, on the mound. But, Hess issued a walk and allowed a home run to Matt Scheffler on a no-ball, two-strike pitch. So, the series finale went into extra innings.
Hess gave up another run-scoring hit on an 0-2 pitch two innings later – a double by Will Holland. LSU could not rally in the bottom of the 11th. Therefore, LSU had to be satisfied with merely a series victory.
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The Southeastern Conference regular season ended Saturday with four teams clearly in the upper tier – Vanderbilt (23-7), Georgia (21-9), Arkansas (20-10) and Mississippi State (20-10). Those four teams will most probably be national seeds when the NCAA tournament bracket is announced next Monday.
LSU is the best of the rest in the SEC. The Tigers are hoping to put together a good enough body of work to be a regional host. In the present format, every SEC team with at least 18 conference wins has been named a regional host.
Hess’ inability to close out Auburn at The Box on Saturday left LSU with 17 SEC victories. LSU remains on the regional host bubble – probably on the wrong side at this time. So, LSU goes to the SEC tournament in Hoover (Ala.) with more work to do.
On Tuesday night, the Tigers will face South Carolina in a play-in game. The Gamecocks, who won only eight conference games, got the final tourney spot by beating Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday. If LSU loses to South Carolina, it will be heading on the road for a regional as was the case in 2018.
If LSU defeats the Gamecocks, it will join Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and either Auburn or Tennessee in a four-team bracket. In all probability, LSU would need two victories in bracket play to put itself back in a strong position to be a regional host.
No one expected LSU to be in this position back in February when the 2019 season started. The Tigers were No. 1 in three of the national polls, while Vanderbilt was at the top of the other two. The Commodores lived up to the expectations.
Vanderbilt has the top two candidates for the SEC’s Player of the Year Award – Austin Martin, who leads the conference with a .432 batting average, and JJ Bleday, who is No. 1 in the league with 25 home runs. Veteran pitchers Drake Fellows and Patrick Raby are a combined 19-1.
LSU’s hopes for another College World Series run in 2019 became greater when Hess, Zach Watson and Antoine Duplantis turned down professional baseball and returned to school. Moreover, the Tigers were getting back two players who missed 2018 because of injuries – Josh Smith and Eric Walker.
However, everyone has learned that simply by having those five players on the roster would not result in a championship season. Those individuals would have to contribute in an all-conference fashion. It is no lock that any of those five individuals will be an All-SEC player.
Smith, who participated in only six games because of a back injury, is the one player who has increased his productivity. As a freshman, Smith batted .281 with five homers and 48 RBIs. Through 56 regular-season games, Smith has a team-leading .341 batting average with seven homers and 34 RBIs.
Walker, who had Tommy John surgery following the 2017 CWS, has gradually gotten better over the course of the season. As a freshman two seasons ago, Walker had an 8-2 record with a 3.48 ERA. Opposing hitters had a .233 batting average. Walker walked 23 and struck out 78 in 96 innings.
Walker, who gave up one run and two hits in six innings during LSU’s 7-1 victory against Auburn on Thursday, has a 5-4 record with a 4.86 ERA. Opposing hitters have a .237 average – close to their number in 2017. Walker has walked 25 and struck out 52 in 63 innings.
Duplantis entered the season expected to chase down former LSU first baseman Eddy Furniss for the SEC’s top spot for career hits. But, Duplantis has not hit as well as Mississippi State’s Jake Mangum, who has overtaken Furniss.
Duplantis is batting .318 entering the SEC tournament. His career batting average through the previous three seasons was .324. Duplantis has shown more power with 11 home runs – five more than his total after three years. Duplantis’ on-base percentage is slightly down, but his slugging percentage is up.
Watson and Hess are considered the top two major league prospects among LSU’s draft eligible players. Neither Watson nor Hess has been able to carry the Tigers this season.
Watson’s statistics are good, but not what was hoped for by coach Paul Mainieri. In his first two years, Watson had a .312 batting average. He averaged eight homers and 35 RBIs per season. Watson is hitting .317 with five homers and 31 RBIs – not terrible, but not what was expected from a high draft pick.
The current season has been a challenging one for Hess, who suffered two groin injuries – one prior to the start of the year and one during the middle of the conference schedule. Mainieri finally ended Hess’ stint as a starter in the second half of the SEC slate.
In January, Mainieri stressed that Hess was LSU’s No. 1 starter. There was no thought of moving Hess back to the bullpen where he was so successful in the Tigers’ postseason run to the CWS finals two years ago. But, after posting only two victories as a starter in 2019, Hess was moved to relief by Mainieri.
Hess has not been lights out as a reliever since the move. He publicly accepted the blame for LSU’s loss to Auburn on Saturday. Entering the SEC tournament, Hess’ statistics are below average – a 3-5 record with a 5.00 ERA. Opposing batters are batting .290. Hess has walked 30 and struck out 73 in 63 innings.
LSU will be one of the 64 teams in the NCAA tournament. However, the Tigers do not want to be heading on the road as they did to last June when sent to eventual national champion Oregon State in Corvallis. If LSU wants to avoid the same fate, its five core players must have a huge week in Hoover.
LSU Tigers Nike 2019 Early Season Coaches Polo – Purple/Charcoal
from: Fanatics