Nate Ackenhausen reveals how junior college experience prepared him for LSU

A star was born in Omaha on Tuesday night as junior left-handed pitcher Nate Ackenhausen delivered big for LSU in his first career start for the Tigers. Facing elimination from the College World Series, Ackenhausen had a career game and a shutout performance versus Tennessee, helping defeat the Vols 5-0 to continue advancing through the postseason.

Ackenhausen transferred to LSU this offseason after spending two seasons at Eastern Oklahoma State Community College, and after his big win, he spoke about how that experience prepared him for the big stage.

“It prepared me a lot,” Ackenhausen said. “My first year I came out of the pen, which was the first time of my career. High school I started all four years, got to junior college and we had three pitchers topping out at 100 and they all started, so there’s me.”

Ackenhausen recorded 56 strikeouts in 28 innings out of the bullpen his freshman year with a 1.61 ERA, but took his game to another level as a sophomore. As a starting pitcher, he boasted an 8-1 record, striking out 89 batters on the season and just 14 walks in his 58.2 innings pitched.

“So I learned how to pitch out of the stretch and then the second year I took over because they all left, got picked up or drafted, and that really helped me figure out how to throw,” Ackenhausen explained.

While piling up wins in Oklahoma, Ackenhausen was also honing in on his craft and growing as a pitcher, which clearly paid off upon his arrival at Baton Rouge.

He was an effective relief pitcher all season for the Tigers, as LSU secured wins in each of his first 11 game appearances on the season. Ackenhausen hadn’t pitched more than 3.2 innings this season for LSU or ever started for the team this season, which all changed on Tuesday in the team’s biggest game of the season thus far.

Ackenhausen delivered, pitching a shutout in his career-high six innings pitched. He only allowed four hits on the day, throwing six strikeouts and not allowing a single score during his time on the mound, crediting some of his effectiveness to the lessons he learned at the junior college level.

“Even a changeup, I didn’t throw a changeup in high school, so really the last year helped me with the changeup. And I’d say today the changeup is probably what helped me the most,” Ackenhausen said.

Ackenhausen’s stellar day was one to remember, and will be remembered especially fondly if the Tigers continue their postseason run. Which continues Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET against Wake Forest yet again in an elimination game airing on ESPN.