LSU pitching shuts down Oklahoma bats in SEC road sweep.

Kade Anderson on Thursday celebrating his complete game shutout (LSU Athletics photo)

By Andrew Riedell

The LSU Tigers took their first-ever trip to the state of Oklahoma this past weekend for a Top-10 showdown vs the Oklahoma Sooners, a team that has one of the best starters in college baseball and a very underrated pitching staff.

LSU introduced the Sooners hitters to elite SEC pitching, as the LSU starters gave up zero earned runs for the series. The whole pitching staff gave up just four runs total over the three-game weekend; it was total dominance for the Tiger hurlers from game one Thursday to the final out recorded Saturday. Here is how it happened:

Thursday: LSU 2 Oklahoma 0

Kade Anderson was the story of this one, as he blanked the Sooners offense in a complete game shutout, surrendering only five hits and two walks. Anderson struck out 14 Sooner hitters on 135 pitches, of which 91 were strikes. He outdueled Kyson Witherspoon, who went six innings, surrendered two runs, and struck out four Tiger hitters.

The Tigers scored their first run of the game in the top of the 3rd inning with a Jared Jones single that brought home Derek Curiel. Chris Stanfield brought in the second run of the game on an RBI single. Coach Jay Johnson said, "I thought Kade just hit another gear tonight. That was literally the definition of getting better as the game goes along." Anderson going all nine also gave Johnson the opportunity to save Zac Cowan and Casan Evans for another day.

Friday: LSU 10 Oklahoma 2

After Anderson's pitching clinic the day before, the LSU offense was the story in this one, as nine of the ten LSU hitters that stepped up to the plate reached base at least once.

Stanfield and Josh Pearson led the charge for the Tigers. Stanfield went 4-5 with four RBI, as the former Auburn Tiger has settled in nicely. Pearson went 2-4, blasting two solo home runs, his fourth and fifth of the season. Daniel Dickinson also launched his seventh home run of the season, with Jared Jones and Curiel both driving in runs for the Tigers as well. Anthony Eyanson and Evans were solid on the mound for the Tigers, combining to strikeout 13 Oklahoma hitters and holding them to just five hits.

Saturday: LSU 3 Oklahoma 2

It is tough to sweep in the SEC, even more so on the road, and that was proven Saturday afternoon. Oklahoma left the tying runner at 2nd base and nearly scraped together a comeback against this LSU team.

Chase Shores got the start for the Tigers and worked a career-high five innings, followed by Cowan going four innings to earn his fourth save of the year. Curiel was responsible for driving in all three Tiger runs, making history by extending his on-base streak to 33 games, a program record dating back to 1985.

LSU got through the weekend using only five pitchers, so expect to see a lot of arms on Tuesday vs Nicholls. The Tigers then head to Auburn to face a team that just won the series over instate rival Alabama this past weekend.

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