LSU defeats VMI, 11-8 in opening day contest
BATON ROUGE, La. – Second-ranked LSU defeated VMI, 11-8, Friday afternoon inside Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field on the strength of third-year head coach Jay Johnson’s middle of the lineup that is riddled with veteran leadership including designated hitter Hayden Travinski, first baseman Jared Jones, and left fielder Mac Bingham.
The trio of Tigers finished the program’s 23rd consecutive Opening Day victory with eight RBI on seven hits.
LSU improved to 1-0 on the year, while the VMI Keydats dropped to 0-1.
The Tigers return to action Saturday afternoon to face Central Arkansas at 1:00 p.m. CT. The matchup will be streamed on SECN+ and available to listen to on LSU Sports Radio Network.
LSU’s left-handed reliever Nate Ackhenhausen (1-0) earned the win with three innings pitched, six strikeouts, and two walks. UCLA transfer Gage Jump recorded his first save by coming into the game during the ninth inning and picking up two strikeouts in the single inning he pitched.
VMI reliever Jaxon Lloyd (0-1), the third of four relievers for the Keydets was charged with the loss after tossing 0.1 innings while allowing two runs on no hits.
LSU starter Thatcher Hurd shut out VMI for the opening two frames and recorded two strikeouts. Jones broke open the scoring in the bottom of the second inning for LSU with a three-run home run to put the Tigers up 3-0.
VMI struck back scoring four runs in the third inning. Left-hander Justin Loer came in for relief for LSU and ended the top of the third with a strikeout.
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The Tigers responded with two base hits, scoring two runs to take the lead 5-4. Travinski singled up the middle and a pitch hit Bingham to put two runners on for centerfielder Paxton Kling. He topped the opportunity off with a single down the left-field line to score Travinski and Bingham.
VMI answered with runs in the next two innings. Koza Jimmy scored on a double down the first base line and Cole Jenkins launched a solo home run to left center field to make the score 6-5 in favor of the Keydets.
LSU continued to respond by scoring five runs on one hit in the sixth inning. Kling and catcher Brady Neal got hit by a pitch, shortstop Michael Braswell III executed a sac bunt to advance the runners. Right fielder Jake Brown and third baseman Tommy White became a part of the string of HBP by VMI pitchers. Kling came in to score on White’s free pass. After tying the game, Jones walked to score one and take the lead back, while Bingham smoked a two-RBI double down the left-field line to make the Tigers lead 10-6.
Both teams score in the eighth inning to make the score 11-8. LSU uses a combination of pitchers Gavin Guidry, Sam Dutton and Gage Jump to close out the game.
