LSU loses lead, drops Game 2 at Auburn

Auburn erased a 4-3 LSU lead with a four-run sixth inning Saturday night as the homestanding Tigers posted an 8-6 win at Plainsman Park.

Auburn improved to 26-19-1 overall,  10-13 in the SEC, while top-ranked LSU dropped to 37-9 overall and 16-6 in conference play. The loss ended LSU’s eight-game SEC win streak, the Tigers’ longest since 2017.

The teams conclude the series at 1 p.m. CT Sunday in a game that will be broadcast on affiliates of the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.

“We’ve got to get ready for tomorrow,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “Looking at tonight’s game, we could have commanded the baseball better from the mound, and we could have slowed down a little bit better at the plate with runners in scoring position. We needed better strike zone pressure, and we could have slowed down at the plate with runners on base, but those are all controllable.

“The game tomorrow is going to get on us pretty quick, so we don’t want to have any carry-over from this game, and I just want us to play in character. I thought we competed hard tonight. We didn’t play well enough to win, but our players competed really hard in the game tonight.”

LSU grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning when catcher Hayden Travinski lined a two-out RBI single, scoring shortstop Jordan Thompson, who had reached earlier on a throwing error by Auburn third baseman Bryson Ware.

The Tigers extended the advantage to 2-0 in the third when third baseman Tommy White delivered a run-scoring single.

Auburn scored three runs in the fourth with the benefit of five walks and a wild pitch, sending nine men to the plate and taking a 3-2 lead.

LSU, however, regained the lead in the top of fifth when designated hitter Cade Beloso smashed a two-out, two-run single to right field.

Auburn struck for four runs in the sixth as pinch hitter Brody Wortham, catcher Nate LaRue and rightfielder Bobby Peirce each provided RBI singles, and designated hitter Ike Irish lifted a sacrifice fly.

LSU catcher Hayden Travinski launched a solo homer – his third dinger of the season – in the seventh to narrow the gap to 7-5, but Ware hit his 19^th homer of the year in the bottom of the inning to restore Auburn’s three-run advantage.

LSU added a run in the eighth and had runners at first and second with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Auburn reliever Will Cannon struck out leftfielder Tre’ Morgan to end the game.

Cannon earned his fifth save of the season, as he worked the final 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Auburn left-hander Zach Crotchfelt (1-2) was credited with the win after recording the final out in the top of the sixth inning.

Left-hander Javen Coleman (1-1), the third of six LSU pitchers, was charged with the loss as he allowed two runs on no hits in 1.0 inning with two walks and one strikeout.

LSU starting pitcher Ty Floyd worked 3.2 innings and recorded a career-high nine strikeouts while allowing three runs on two hits with four walks.

Editor’s note: This is a press release from LSUSports.net