Clutch Late Plays Help LSU Baseball Squeak Out 7-5 Midweek Win Over Tulane

DiGiacomo continues to earn starting outfield role, Tigers bullpen does enough to pick up win

LSU made it harder than it needed to be but the Tigers were able to squeak out a 7-5 midweek win over Tulane, with some clutch plays down the stretch.

Giovanni DiGiacomo had earned the last handful of starts in right field and on Tuesday the veteran showed just how important defense is. With the Tigers doing everything to allow the Green Wave back into the contest an inning ending double play ended a potential game tying swing late in the contest.

Mid 8 | GIOVANNI DIGIACOMO FROM DOWNTOWN‼️

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— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) March 16, 2022

LSU looked the part of an offense that is ready to start really capitalizing on its immense potential. The Tigers were not only getting on base, something they've done consistently most of the year, but this group took really disciplined at bats with runners in scoring position and in two out scenarios. 

It wouldn't start cooking for LSU offensively until the third and fourth innings, with the team combining for five runs on four hits during that stretch. But it was the situational hitting that was so impressive about this effort.

Sacrifice flys from Dylan Crews and Tre Morgan as well as a hard hit single from Morgan with the bases loaded would account for three of the seven total runs the LSU offense would put up. Morgan would go 2-for-4 at the plate with three total RBI while DiGiacomo once again delivered at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance. 

DiGiacomo has been fantastic since becoming a more constant part of the rotation with Jacob Berry more than holding his own at third base, two great signs for Jay Johnson as the Tigers enter SEC play. For the offense to have a showing against another borderline top 25 team in the country up until last week was a promising development.

However, a troubling trend early for this pitching staff was falling behind on counts to Tulane batters, something the Tigers historically have done pretty well this season. At least five times in the first half of the contest LSU got down in counts, creating some unpleasant circumstances. 

In a tie game in the fourth for example, LSU loaded the bases on walks before relief pitcher Eric Reyzelman was able to pick up a key two out strikeout to get out of the jam. The Tigers' pitchers have typically been very consistent in throwing strikes but this group would really settle down starting with Reyzelman, who threw 2.1 innings of shutout baseball, striking out six of the eight batters he faced.

After gaining a 6-2 lead midway through the game, the Tigers certainly didn't make it an easy finish to get 27 outs. A dropped two out pop fly in the seventh that scored two unearned runs cut the lead in half and a passed ball would add on another run. LSU would use four pitchers over the course of the final four innings, throwing a lot of their big bullpen arms to squeak out the win. 

In need of more insurance runs in the eighth, a double from pinch hitter Josh Pearson brought home pinch runner Drew Bianco and brought more emotion than we've seen out of Johnson all season. Again it points to this offense coming up clutch in important moments.

LSU will now gear up for conference play with Texas A&M coming to town and plenty of stories to follow, including the return of former assistant coach Nolan Cain. 

(Photo courtesy of LSUsports)