By RON HIGGINS, Journal Sports
BATON ROUGE – There’s a top 10 nationally ranked baseball team playing in Alex Box Stadium this weekend.
That’s not unusual for eight-time and defending national champion LSU.
Except it’s not the Tigers, losers of six of their last 10 games as the nation’s preseason No. 1 team has dropped out of the DI Baseball Top 25 after losing two of three in their SEC opening series at Vanderbilt.
No. 8 Oklahoma (17-4, 2-1), fresh off a league series win over now No. 21 Texas A&M, opens its trio of battles vs. the reeling Tigers (15-7, 1-2 SEC) here tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
LSU fifth-year Jay Johnson has more questions than answers after his pitching staff gave up more runs (33) and earned runs (31) and issued more walks (26) than any other staff in the SEC last weekend.
The Tigers are ranked last in the 16-team league in earned run average in conference play (11.07) and for the season (5.04).
The most baffling performances to date have been authored by sophomore Casan Evans, elevated to LSU’s starter for the opener of each three-game series.
His standout relief work on last season’s national title team (5-1 record, 2.05 ERA, seven saves, 71 strikeouts, 19 walks, .228 opponent batting average, 52.2 innings in 19 appearances) has not yet translated to becoming an effective starter.
He’s given up two runs or more in all five of his starts and hasn’t pitched more than 5.1 innings. In LSU’s opening loss at Vanderbilt, Evans was pulled after giving up six runs in three innings. He allowed 10 of 21 batters he faced (five hits, five walks) to reach base.
Johnson has a vastly different view of Evans’ largely unimpressive outings.
“We won the first four games he pitched and we were down to two strikes to win the last game (Vandy’s ninth-inning walk-off homer in last Friday’s series opener),” Johnson said. “Every game that he pitches, and we won the first four, and we were down to two strikes to go to win.
“A job of the pitchers is to give your team a chance to win the game, and he’s doing a great job of that. I think sometimes that gets lost.”
Besides Evans (1-0, 6.25 ERA, 22.1 innings), Kansas transfer Cooper Moore (3-2, 3.21 ERA, 28 innings) and sophomore William Schmidt (3-1, 3.12 ERA, 26 innings) haven’t found their stride yet as Game 2 and Game 3 starters in the pitching rotation.
The starters have put the Tigers in insurmountable holes. In its seven losses, LSU has been outscored 43-7 in the first six innings, including 29-2 in the first three innings.
The offensive firepower the Tigers enjoyed a year ago has yet to develop.
Last season, even with newbies such as transfers Daniel Dickinson and Luis Hernandez in the starting lineup at shortstop and catcher, there were no weak links from top to bottom in the batting order.
This year, after the top of the order featuring returning starters right fielder Jake Brown, center fielder Derek Curiel, shortstop Steven Milam and centerfielder Chris Stanfield, the offense drops off dramatically.
That foursome, even with Stanfield finally healed from a hand injury and back in the lineup, has combined so far to hit .329 with 70 RBI, 13 home runs and 19 doubles.
The back half of the order, mostly featuring transfers Zack Yorke (Grand Canyon), Trent Caraway (Oregon State), Seth Dardar (Kansas State) and Brayden Simpson (High Point), is hitting a combined .254 with 47 RBI, eight homers and 14 doubles.
“This team was maybe a little underprepared for adversity,” Johnson said. “They didn’t have a whole lot (adversity) last year with (all) the returning players.
“Our new players are experiencing a different level of adversity at a place like this.”
LSU (15-7 overall, 1-2 SEC) vs. No. 8 OKLAHOMA (17-4, 2-1 SEC), Alex Box Stadium, Baton Rouge
Game 1: Today, 7 p.m. CT (ESPNU)
LSU – So. RH Casan Evans (1-0, 6.45 ERA, 22.1 IP, 12 BB, 35 SO)
OU – Jr. LH Cameron Johnson (3-0, 3.04 ERA, 23.2 IP, 12 BB, 34 SO)
Game 2: Friday, 6:30 p.m. CT (SEC Network+)
LSU – Jr. RH Cooper Moore (3-2, 3.21 ERA, 28.0 IP, 7 BB, 35 SO)
OU – Jr. RH LJ Mercurius (4-1, 1.59 ERA, 28.1 IP, 8 BB, 41 SO)
Game 3: Saturday, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN)
LSU – So. RH William Schmidt (3-1, 3.12 ERA, 26.0 IP, 7 BB, 39 SO)
OU – Fr. LH Cord Rager (2-1, 4.71 ERA, 21.0 IP, 7 BB, 28 SO)
LSU SERIES VS. OKLAHOMA
LSU leads Oklahoma, 12-5, in a series that began in 1959. LSU swept a three-game SEC series from the Sooners last season in Norman. In the 2013 NCAA Super Regional in Baton Rouge, LSU won two straight over the Sooners to advance to the College World Series. Three other LSU-OU matchups have been in the NCAA tournament, all of which LSU won in Baton Rouge.
A LOOK AT LSU
LSU is hitting .285 with 41 doubles, four triples, 32 homers and 167 RBI. . .Right fielder Jake Brown is hitting a team-high .400 this season with seven doubles, 11 homers, 37 RBI, 26 runs and six steals. . .The LSU pitching staff has a 5.04 ERA (last in the SEC) with 280 strikeouts in 187.2 innings while allowing a .217 opponent batting average and 18 home runs.
A LOOK AT OKLAHOMA
Left-hander Cameron Johnson, OU’s game 1 starting pitcher, was a member of LSU’s 2024 team. He pitched 9.0 innings for the Tigers over 13 appearances, recording 16 walks and 13 strikeouts. . . The Sooners are hitting .306 with 44 doubles, eight triples, 23 home runs and 65 steals in 70 attempts. . . Catcher Deiten Lachance is batting a team-high .358 with eight doubles, one triple and 22 RBI. . .The Oklahoma pitching staff has a 3.60 ERA with 223 strikeouts in 175.0 innings while allowing a .209 opponent batting average and 13 home runs.
Contact Ron at ronhigginsmedia@gmail.com