Tigers are unable to finish off the late rally in Tuscaloosa
The defending champs are on life support.
LSU came into Tuscaloosa needing to win this weekend series versus Alabama. They quite literally threw away game one, they bounced back to win game two, and on Sunday in what was arguably the biggest game of the season, the Tigers laid yet another egg in a game three.
LSU lost 4-3 to Alabama. The Tigers were down 4-0 after the first three innings, but managed to show a little bit of life late. LSU scored its first run in the fourth and then pushed across a pair in the eighth to make it a 4-3 game.
LSU was able to get the tying run aboard in the ninth inning thanks to a Michael Braswell single. Braswell worked the count full during his nine-pitch at bat and was able to single to left field but that would be as far as he would get. Brady Neal flew out to left field on a 1-0 count, and Mac Bingham popped out on the first pitch he saw. Jake Brown struck out swinging to end the game.
Sam Dutton got the start for LSU and only faced seven batters before being relieved in the second inning. Dutton was charged with the loss. He gave up three hits, three runs—two earned—walked one, and struck out one.
Aiden Moffett was the first one out of the pen for LSU and he allowed three of the four batters he faced to reach base. Moffett gave up two hits and issued a walk.
To LSU’s credit, however, the combination of Justin Loer/Fidel Ulloa/DJ Primeaux/and Christian Little pitched the final six innings of the game and only gave up a combined two hits. This quartet put up six zeros and gave the LSU offense a chance to respond, but the bats couldn’t quite get the job done.
The lack of offensive production today is particularly disheartening because Alabama’s starting pitcher, Ben Hess, came into Sunday with an ERA north of six and the Tigers couldn’t take advantage. In fact, Hess had his best outing of 2024: a season-high 6.2 innings, three hits allowed, one run given up and 10 Ks.
Pardon my French, but LSU is in deep shit as far as the NCAA Tournament goes. The Tigers had to win this series. Instead they dropped another SEC weekend and are now 10-17 in SEC play. LSU is now in a position where they’ll have to sweep Ole Miss this weekend and win a couple of games in Hoover. And what exactly about this team gives anyone any confidence they can do that?