BATON ROUGE, La. – Second-ranked LSU used the familiar formula of a big fourth-inning rally and a shutdown pitching performance against University of Missouri baseball to notch its second-straight Southeastern Conference victory over the Tigers with a 7-6 decision Saturday evening at Alex Box Stadium.
Missouri fought back from a pair of three-run deficits, scoring four times over the third and fourth innings to take a 4-3 lead, then scratching out two late runs after LSU had reclaimed the lead with its three-run fourth.
Keegan Knutson belted his first two home runs as a Tiger to lead the charge, while Pierre Seals and Jackson Lovich added two-hit performances for a Mizzou offense that out-hit LSU by a 10-8 margin.
But the home club benefited from the relief efforts of Casan Evans, who worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and struck out four Tigers over a career-long 2 1/3 inning stint to lock up his fourth save.
After scoring five times in the fourth inning to help secure a 12-5 win against Mizzou in Friday's series opener, LSU (19-1, 2-0 SEC) struck with another critical fourth-inning rally in game two to turn a 4-3 MU lead into a 6-4 advantage. This time, Jared Jones' two-out, two-run single snapped a 4-4 tie after Michael Braswell III's RBI-single had knotted the score.
LSU cashed in on a Mizzou throwing error to extend its lead to 7-4 in the fifth, then withstood a late charge from the Tigers with the help of Evans to close out the game and their 14th consecutive victory.
Mizzou (8-10, 0-2 SEC) nearly overcame two separate three-run deficits, including a fourth-inning rally of its own that saw the Tigers erase an early 3-0 LSU advantage. LSU wasted little time in putting its offense into gear, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the home half of the first on a Josh Pearson two-out, two-run homer. The home-standing Tigers extended the margin to three runs in the second, taking advantage of a Jake Brown leadoff triple when Braswell III laid down a sacrifice squeeze to bring the runner home.
LSU starting pitcher Anthony Eyanson struck out three Tigers in two scoreless innings to begin the night, before Mizzou found its offensive rhythm in the third. Seals opened the rally with a base hit up the middle, before Gehrig Goldbeck executed a hit-and-run single to right to put runners on the corners with one out. Following a walk to Mateo Serna, Cayden Nicoletto put MU on the board with a sacrifice fly to center, slicing the LSU lead to 3-1.
In the fourth, Lovich's first hit sparked another Mizzou threat, and Seals' two-out double extended the inning. Knutson took full advantage, turning on an Eyanson offering and launching a three-run homer – his first as a Tiger – over the wall in left-center for a 4-3 MU lead.
Knutson came through again in his next at-bat in the seventh, lifting a solo shot to deep left field to trim LSU's lead to 7-5. The Tigers added a second run in the inning after loading the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit batsman. A double-play grounder brought Goldbeck home to make it a one-run game, but Evans induced another ground ball to the left side ended the threat.
Mizzou put its first two hitters aboard in the eighth as well, following Trey Lawrence's leadoff single and a walk to Seals. A Knutson sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position before Goldbeck coaxed another walk to load the bases.
But Evans came through with back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat, then fanned the first two hitters of the ninth and recorded the final out on a come-backer to the mound.
Mizzou's bullpen turned in solid work as well, with Brock Lucas and Kaden Jacobi combining to limit LSU to a single unearned run over the final 4 1/3 innings.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- With the setback, Mizzou dropped to 4-22 all-time vs. LSU.
- Knutson recorded his first two home runs as a Tiger, becoming the second Mizzou newcomer to log a two-homer game this season (Brady Picarelli vs. Lindenwood).
- Knutson also logged a career high with his four RBIs.
- The Tigers recorded their 11th double-digit hit total as a team this season (in just 18 games); Mizzou drew seven walks as a team, marking the fourth time this season the Tigers have coaxed at least seven free passes.
- With Knutson's two homers, Mizzou has gone deep five times in the first two games of the series against an LSU pitching staff that had allowed just six home runs in its first 18 games entering the weekend.
- Lovich (2-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 10 games (dating back to Feb. 28) with his fourth-inning single.
UP NEXT
Mizzou and LSU will conclude their series Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Alex Box Stadium.
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