Live Updates/Thread: No. 1 LSU vs. UL-Lafayette

Tigers hosting the Ragin' Cajuns for an in-state showdown in Alex Box Stadium.

No. 1 LSU is locked in for their midweek matchup against the UL-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns where they'll look to get a big win before hitting the road to Oxford this weekend. 

Left-handed pitcher Javen Coleman will get the start for the Tigers in his first game since tearing his UCL on February 23, 2022.

Here's a look into a few notes, what Jay Johnson said of the matchup and the live game thread for tonight's showdown:

Notes:

- LSU leads the all-time series with UL Lafayette, 57-27, as the squads first met in 1912 … LSU has won two in a row, seven of the last 10, and 17 of the 25 meetings with ULL since 2000 … the Tigers defeated the Cajuns, 8-4, last season (April 19) in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field … the Tigers posted an 11-2 win in the 2021 season (Feb. 24) in Lafayette, which broke a three-game ULL win streak in the series.

- LSU centerfielder Dylan Crews is No. 1 in the nation in batting average (.500), on-base percentage (.648) and runs scored (60); he is No. 3 in walks (39) and No. 9 in slugging percentage (.842) … third baseman Tommy White is No. 1 in the nation in RBI per game (1.94) and in total RBI (62) … right-hander Paul Skenes leads the nation in strikeouts (104), strikeouts per nine innings (17.55), hits allowed per nine innings (4.72) and WHIP (0.69) … Skenes is No. 3 in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.56) and No. 7 in ERA (1.69).

What Jay Johnson Said

“UL Lafayette is awesome at what they do; they’re the fastest team I’ve ever seen. Every single guy can run. They have a style, and they execute it really well. They have a very good team, and they’re competing for the Sun Belt Conference championship. They’re an awesome opponent.”

Pregame 

LSU's Starting Lineup 

Tre Morgan LF 

Dylan Crews CF

Tommy White 3B

Cade Beloso DH

Jared Jones 1B

Brayden Jobert RF

Jordan Thompson SS

Jack Merrifield 2B

Alex Milazzo C

Javen Coleman P

ULL's Starting Lineup 

The 𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀 lineup from Red Stick

📺 https://t.co/Yue2XkxpBD
📻 https://t.co/2PRhJlVe2b
📊 https://t.co/23DSGmAZKG#GeauxCajuns ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/gH8ddNkFjr

— Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns® Baseball (@RaginCajunsBSB) April 18, 2023

Live Game Log:

Top First 

Javen Coleman (LSU) pitching

Robichaux: Strikeout 

Marusak: Strikeout

Roccaforte: Fly out to right field 

Bottom First 

Carson Fluno (ULL) pitching

Morgan: Strikeout

Crews: Walk, picked off at first 

White: Single to right field

Beloso: RBI triple, White scores (LSU 1, ULL 0)

Jones: Fly out to left field

Score Update: LSU 1, ULL 0

Top Second 

Thatcher Hurd (LSU) pitching 

Hood: Single to left field, steals second 

Taylor: Walk

*Throwing error by Thatcher Hurd advances runners to second and third*

Wargo: Sacrifice bunt scores Hood (LSU 1, ULL 1)

Higgs: Walk, out at home. Caught stealing

Veillon: RBI single scores Taylor. Veillon advances to second on the throw. Higgs advances to third 

*Pitching Change: Riley Cooper enters the game for LSU*

Willis: Groundout to third base

Bottom Second 

Carson Fluno (ULL) pitching 

Jobert: Double 

Thompson: Groundout to second base, Jobert advances to third

Merrifield: Groundout to second base, Jobert scores (LSU 2, ULL 2)

Milazzo: Single to right center 

Morgan: Fly out to center 

Score Update: LSU 2, ULL 2

Top Third 

Riley Cooper (LSU) pitching 

Robichaux: Strikeout

Marusak: Fly out to right center 

Roccaforte: Single to center

Hood: Homer to left field (ULL 4, LSU 2)

Taylor: Groundout to shortstop 

Bottom Third 

Carson Fluno (ULL) pitching 

Crews: Walk, advances to second on wild pitch

White: Single to right field, Crews advances to third 

*Pitching Change: David Christie enters the game for ULL*

Beloso: Fly out to left field 

Jones: Sacrifice fly scores Crews (ULL 4, LSU 3)

Jobert: Fly out to left field 

Score Update: ULL 4, LSU 3

Top Fourth 

Riley Cooper (LSU) pitching 

Wargo: Strikeout

Higgs: Double to left field on an error by Tre Morgan

Veillon: Double to left center, Higgs scores (ULL 5, LSU 3)

Willis: Walk

Brock (pinch hitting for Robichaux): RBI single scores Veillon, Willis advances to second (ULL 6, LSU 3)

Marusak: Fly out to left field 

Roccaforte: Line out to right field 

Bottom Fourth 

David Christie (ULL) pitching

Thompson: Single to left field 

Merrifield: Reaches first on fielders choice, Thompson out at second

Milazzo: Groundout to shortstop, Merrifield advances to second

Morgan: Groundout to second base

Score Update: ULL 6, LSU 3

Top Fifth 

Riley Cooper (LSU) pitching 

Hood: Groundout to second base

Taylor: Walk

Wargo: Sacrifice bunt advances Taylor to second 

Higgs: Single to first base, Taylor advances to third 

*Pitching Change: Sam Dutton enters the game for LSU*

Veillon: Strikeout 

Bottom Fifth 

David Christie (ULL) pitching 

Crews: Walk

White: Fly out to centerfield 

Beloso: Fly out to right center

Jones: Walk, Crews advances to second 

Jobert: Fly out to left field

Score Update: ULL 6, LSU 3

Top Sixth 

Sam Dutton (LSU) pitching 

Willis: Single to right field 

Brock: Single to centerfield, Willis advances to second 

Marusak: Sacrifice bunt advances Willis to third and Brock to second 

Roccaforte: Strikeout 

Hood: Fly out to centerfield 

Bottom Sixth 

David Christie (ULL) pitching 

Thompson: Groundout to shortstop  

Merrifield: Groundout to shortstop 

Milazzo: Fly out to right field 

Score Update: ULL 6, LSU 3

Top Seventh 

Sam Dutton (LSU) pitching

Taylor: Walk

Wargo: Sacrifice bunt advances Taylor to second

*Pitching Change: Blake Money enters the game for LSU*

Higgs: Two-run homer (ULL 8, LSU 3)

Veillon: Single to left center

Willis: Advances to first on an error by Blake Money

*Veillon out stealing third* 

Bottom Seventh 

David Christie (ULL) pitching 

Morgan: Double to left field 

Crews: Fly out to center

White: Single to left field, Morgan advances to third 

Beloso: Groundout into double play

Score Update: ULL 8, LSU 3

Top Eighth

Blake Money (LSU) pitching 

Marusak: Double to left field 

Roccaforte: Popped up to shortstop 

Hood: Groundout to third base 

Taylor: Intentionally walked 

Wargo: Groundout to third base

Bottom Eighth

David Christie (ULL) pitching 

Jones: Walk

Jobert: Groundout to second base, Jones advances to second

Thompson: Groundout to third base, Jobert advances to third

Pearson (pinch hitting for Merrifield): Strikeout 

Score Update: ULL 8, LSU 3

Top Ninth 

Blake Money (LSU) pitching 

Higgs: Strikeout

Veillon: Strikeout 

Willis: Double to centerfield 

Brock: Fly out to left center

Bottom Ninth 

David Christie (ULL) pitching 

Travinski (pinch hitting for Milazzo): Walk 

*Pitching Change: Cooper Rawls enters the game for ULL*

Morgan: Two-run homer (ULL 8, LSU 5)

Crews: Strikeout 

White: Single to third base

Beloso: Strikeout

Jones: Strikeout

FINAL: ULL 8, LSU 5