Friday night in Nashville was a rollercoaster for LSU, ending in heartbreak. After falling behind early against Vanderbilt, LSU mounted an impressive comeback, scoring eight unanswered runs to take a lead into the ninth. Yet, it all unraveled with a walk-off homer, resulting in a 13-12 loss in their SEC opener.
This game was a tale of pitching woes for both teams. LSU’s struggles began early, with their pitchers giving away 12 free passes in the first four innings, allowing Vanderbilt to seize a 10-4 lead.
Casan Evans, who started for LSU, had a rough outing. Despite striking out five, he struggled with control, issuing 11 walks and a hit by pitch over three innings.
Vanderbilt’s pitching issues surfaced later, with five free passes in the eighth inning. Three wild pitches and a clutch RBI double by Derek Curiel allowed LSU to take a 12-10 lead.
However, it was LSU’s bullpen that faltered in the end. Gavin Guidry, their reliable closer, left a breaking ball hanging over the plate, and Vanderbilt capitalized with a game-winning homer.
Evans faced challenges throughout, allowing runs in each inning he pitched. Cooper Williams tried to stem the tide but walked the bases loaded, while Jaden Noot also struggled with control. Though only two of Vanderbilt’s runs came directly from walks, seven of their 10 scoring runners initially reached base via free passes.
On the bright side, LSU’s offense kept them in the game. Despite the pitching struggles, the Tigers swung the bats effectively.
The top of the order, featuring veterans like Steven Milam, Jake Brown, Derek Curiel, and Chris Stanfield, went 10-for-19. Brown’s home run in the second inning briefly gave LSU the lead.
LSU consistently applied pressure, putting runners on base in eight of nine innings. Seth Dardar’s bases-clearing double in the fifth inning was a pivotal moment, cutting the deficit to 10-7 and sparking a rally. Impressively, eight of LSU’s 12 runs came with two outs.
Zac Cowan provided a much-needed boost from the bullpen. After not pitching for nearly two weeks, he delivered a strong performance, retiring 10 of the 11 batters he faced over 3.1 innings. With 30 of his 41 pitches finding the strike zone, Cowan’s outing was a stabilizing force for LSU.
Guidry navigated the eighth inning smoothly, but the ninth proved costly. Despite the loss, LSU’s resilience at the plate and Cowan’s standout performance offer some positives to build on moving forward.