By Andrew Riedell
Second-ranked LSU finally opened up SEC play this past weekend, as they hosted the Missouri Tigers, predicted near the bottom of the SEC standings this season. On the other hand, LSU came into SEC play with high hopes, projected to finish 4th in the SEC preseason rankings.
Before the game Friday, a moment of silence was held for Sandy Bertman, wife of former LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman, who passed away Thursday night. Coach Jay Johnson came into his postgame press conference and stated right off the bat the win was for the wife of the legendary Bertman.
"I have referenced this several times, like personally the coolest part of this job is the relationship I have with Skip... the relationship with Coach Bertman is amazing, and she (Sandy) was a very big part of that, from the second we landed here."
Here is how LSU weekend went down:
Friday: LSU 12 Missouri 5
Kade Anderson and Derek Curiel were key in this game. Anderson went a career long 6.1 innings, and at one point retired 15 of 17 Mizzou batters in a row following a two-run homer by Jackson Lovich. Kade said later that giving up the home run might've helped him get back into being in control and focusing on one batter at a time.
The Tigers tied Mizzou on their own two-run home run from Luis Hernandez, his second of the year. LSU then erupted in the fourth with five runs, as Curiel the freshman stepped up and cleared the bases with a triple in his first SEC game. Daniel Dickinson and pinch hitter Jake Brown also contributed with RBIs of their own in that frame. Jake Brown came off the bench and went 2-2 with 4 RBI and Steven Milam hit his fifth home run of the season to contribute to the LSU 12 runs.
Saturday: LSU 7 Missouri 6
The wind was howling all over Alex Box Stadium due to weather that passed through the Baton Rouge area earlier in the day. Anthony Eyanson got the start for the Tigers, and he did not look the best, going 3.2 innings and surrendering 4 earned runs on 7 hits. Connor Ware got the win for the Tigers, as he went 1.1 innings out of the pen, recording two strikeouts.
The stars of this game for LSU were Michael Braswell and Casan Evans. Braswell went 2-3 with a double and three RBI, but those RBI came via bunting in the 2nd, 4th, and 5th innings. Evans on the mound has been lights out for the Tigers since arriving on campus, logging 2.1 innings and allowing only 2 hits while striking out 4, good for his 4th save of the year.
Sunday: LSU 10 Missouri 5
Ethan Frey and Jake Brown got it going early for LSU, as Frey had an RBI double before Brown homered to right field, making it 4-0 Tigers early. Chase Shores struggled with his command in his outing, walking 3 and hitting another. Connor Ware got his second victory of the weekend, but Mavrick Rizy and Zac Cowan also pitched really well out of the Tiger bullpen. Cowan struck out 5, and Rizy went 2 innings, giving up only 1 run. Frey drove in his second RBI of the day in the bottom of the 4th with an RBI single.
Up next for LSU
LSU will host New Orleans on Tuesday for a midweek contest before heading over to Austin, TX to face off with the Texas Longhorns. The Longhorns are coming off a sweep at Mississippi State during their first ever SEC series. This will be LSU's first true road series as well and the first ever SEC home series for Texas. All eyes will be on Disch-Falk Field for a good old fashioned showdown.
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