Vanderbilt goes 4-for-12 and scored six of its eight runs in two-out situations.
No. 18 LSU (21-11, 3-8 SEC) has been dealing with a case of deja vu, but it has never been in the Tigers’ favor.
No. 7 Vanderbilt (24-7, 7-4 SEC) evened the series after it won an 8-6 hard-fought victory over LSU due to clutch hitting late. The Commodores went 4-for-12 (.333) from the plate and scored six of their eight runs were scored within two-out situations, including the go-ahead two-run home run by second baseman Jayden Davis.
Although the offense sputtered late, this loss wasn’t on them as it batted .400 with runners in scoring position and scored four runs on five hits off of Vanderbilt starter Bryce Cunningham, one of the best pitchers in college baseball.
Everything changed when Vanderbilt reliever Ethan McElvain (1-1) came into the game. McElvain earned the win after firing 3.1 scoreless innings with two hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.
Ackenhausen (2-4) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs on two hits in 2.1 innings with no walks and three strikeouts.
The Tigers drew first blood second baseman Tommy White tanked the ball out of the park for the first run of the game to give LSU a 1-0 lead.
Vanderbilt responded right back with a home run of their own when RJ Austin blasted a two-out, two-run home run to put the Commodores in the lead with the score being 2-1 midway through the third inning.
LSU would retake the lead when freshman outfielder Ashton Larson launched a solo homer and White launched his second home run of the game with a two-run bomb to give the Tigers a 4-2 advantage.
“I think he’s in control of himself,” head coach Jay Johnson said about Larson following the game. “He just keeps getting better and that’s a good sign for things to come.”
However, Vanderbilt would tie the game up once again after Jayden Davis recorded an RBI single in the fourth inning and Johnathan Vastine would score on a fielder’s choice in the fifth. Austin was credited with the RBI, his third of the game.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, LSU would respond quickly as first baseman Jared Jones, who has been having a stellar performance throughout the series, recorded an RBI single to give LSU a 5-4 lead.
After both teams traded runs in the sixth inning to have the game to make the score 6-5 with the advantage in LSU’s favor, Vanderbilt’s excellent two-out hitting came clutch once again in the eighth inning
Davis, who had been an absolute difference-maker for the Commodores all night, smacked his go-ahead two-run home run giving Vanderbilt a 7-6 lead. Designated hitter Camden Kozeal’s RBI single in the ninth inning would give the Commodores an insurance run and account for the final margin.
The two teams will square off in a rubber match at 2 p.m. CT Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.