By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
NORMAN, Okla. – Two weeks after LSU lost two of three games at then-No. 9 Texas because the Tigers’ pitching staff gave up 19 runs (all earned) and 32 hits, it was wash, rinse and repeat for head coach Jay Johnson’s hurlers in a stunning road sweep at No. 9 Oklahoma this past weekend.
Using just five pitchers – probably a first in Johnson’s career – starters Kade Anderson, Anthony Eyanson and Chase Shores, and relievers Casan Evans and Zac Cowan – LSU (30-3 overall, 10-2 SEC) allowed no earned runs in wins of 2-0 in Thursday night’s Game 1, 10-2 in Friday’s game 2 and 3-2 in Saturday’s game 3.
It began with Anderson’s 135-pitch (91 strikes) complete game shutout in the opener when he allowed five hits while striking out 14 and walking two.
“Kade just hit another gear,” said Johnson. “That was the definition of getting better as the game progresses. He was pitching with great tempo and getting ahead in the count more as the game went along, and I didn’t think their hitters were seeing him very well.
“He was getting stronger, he was well-conditioned for it.”
Besides Anderson, the MVP of Game 1, was pitching coach Nate Yeskie. On the day his father died, Yeskie called every pitch of Anderson’s masterpiece.
In Friday’s Game 2 win that the Tigers put away with a four-run ninth inning, Eyanson held the Sooners to two runs (no earned) and three hits in the first 5.2 innings while LSU built a 5-2 lead.
Reliever Evans pitched a two-hit shutout over the last 3.1 innings while striking out five and walking none.
“Anthony got ahead more in the count as the game went along, and his ability to mix his pitches was excellent,” Johnson said. “A really good job by him, and he keeps getting better.”
Shores’ five-inning stint to open Saturday’s Game 3 was his longest stretch in SEC play. He allowed three hits and a run (not earned) and had four strikeouts and four walks.
Reliever Zac Cowan handled the last four innings, giving up two hits and one run (unearned) in picking up his fourth save of the season.
“Chase was great, and he just keeps getting better,” Johnson said. “He just got to the next pitch every time, and he did a great job. He continually got what he needed to do next very, very well.”
Despite getting 10 hits in Game 2, LSU hit just .265 vs. OU, the Tigers’ lowest batting average in their first four SEC series.
But the depth of LSU’s batting order shone brightly as seven-hole and nine-hole hitters catcher Luis Hernandez and center fielder Chris Stanfield each hit .500.
Hernandez was 6 for 12 with three doubles and three runs. Stanfield was 5 for 10 with five RBI, three doubles, and two runs.
Here’s a recap of the series:
Game 1: LSU 2, Oklahoma 0 — On a chilly, windy Thursday night in LSU’s first visit to new SEC member OU, Tigers’ sophomore starting pitcher Anderson was on fire, throwing a complete game shutout.
Anderson (6-0) retired the last 16 of 17 batters, including 12 straight. He threw 67.4 percent (91 of 135) pitches for strikes, ending six of his innings with strikeouts.
It was the first complete game by a Tigers pitcher since Paul Skenes struck out 12 in a 7-2 win over Tulane in the opening game of the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional in 2022.
LSU got its first run in the third inning on first baseman Jared Jones’ two-out RBI single on a 3-2 pitch, scoring shortstop Derek Curiel who had doubled.
The Tigers added their other run in the fifth when catcher Hernandez doubled, moved to third base on third baseman Tanner Reeves’ sacrifice bunt, and scored on center fielder Stanfield’s RBI double down the right field line.
Hernandez hit a pair of doubles in his three at-bats to lead LSU at the plate.
Game 2: LSU 10, Oklahoma 2 – A second straight night of airtight pitching and clutch hitting produced LSU’s first SEC road series win over a ranked team since 2023.
Tigers’ starting pitcher Eyanson allowed just two runs and center fielder Stanfield drove in four runs with four hits.
LSU led the Sooners from start to finish, scoring six runs in the final four innings on 10 hits. The Tigers, the SEC’s best hitting squad, finished with 15 hits, including three homers and three doubles.
The Tigers took a 4-0 lead with three straight two-out hits in the fourth inning.
Nine-hole hitter Stanfield, who had an RBI double in the LSU’s 2-0 game one win over OU on Thursday night, started the rally with a two-RBI double.
Shortstop Curiel followed with an RBI double and then scored on first baseman Jones’ RBI single.
The Tigers shut the door on the Sooners with four runs in the top of the ninth for a 10-2 lead. Solo homers by second baseman Daniel Dickinson and right fielder Josh Pearson (his second of the game) ignited the rally, and Stanfield’s two-run double ended his superb performance.
Game 3: LSU 3, Oklahoma 2 – Saturday’s win polished off a three-game sweep over the Sooners. It was the first time the Tigers swept a top 10 team in an SEC road series since March 28-30, 1997, when No. 1 LSU wiped out No. 7 Tennessee in Knoxville.
Besides solid pitching from starter Shores, the Tigers manufactured all three of their runs vs. OU with two outs.
LSU took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Curiel hit what appeared to be a third-out ground ball to Oklahoma second baseman Kyle Branch, but the ball rolled between his legs into right field as Tigers’ third baseman Tanner Reaves and catcher Hernandez scored.
The Sooners narrowed the margin to 2-1 in the bottom of the second when a passed ball by Hernandez allowed Oklahoma shortstop Jaxon Willits to score from third base.
Curiel’s two-out RBI double in the fourth extended the Tigers’ advantage to 3-1, and LSU held on for the win.
“That run ended up being the difference in the game,” Johnson said. “Awesome at-bat by Derek.”
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com