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SEC Baseball

LSU walks off Tennessee with dominant run-rule victory in rubber match

Paul Harvey

By Paul Harvey

Published:

Sunday’s slate of SEC baseball was full of intriguing matchups, including a top-10 rubber match in Baton Rouge. That is where LSU squared off against Tennessee after a Friday win by the Vols and a Saturday win by the Tigers set up Sunday’s crucial showdown between the 2 most recent College World Series champions.

Tennessee would start things off hot with 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning, but that was the extent of the good vibes for the Vols in this one. LSU would take the lead for good with a 4-run 2nd inning, and it was all Tigers the rest of the way, both at the plate and on the mound.

In terms of LSU’s pitching, Casan Evans went 6 strong innings and Zac Cowan finished up the rest with 2 shutout innings of relief. For Evans, he struck out 6 and did not allow a walk and settled in nicely after giving up the 2 early runs to keep Tennessee there the rest of the way.

However, the big story for the Tigers in this one came at the plate where leadoff man Derek Curiel and 3-hole batter Jake Brown drove in 8 of LSU’s 12 runs scored. Curiel opened the scoring for the Tigers with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the 1st, and he added an RBI double in the bottom of the 2nd.

However, it was Brown who delivered the early big blow, smashing a majestic 3-run home run to right field that put LSU in front for good:

In the bottom of the 8th inning, it was Luis Hernandez delivering the eventual walk-off. He drilled a 2-run double off the top of the wall in left field to send the Tigers into celebration and the Vols packing on a long trip back to Knoxville.

Throughout the game, LSU’s power was on full display against Tennessee’s pitching with 9 extra-base hits, including 3 home runs and 2 triples. It goes down as LSU’s 5th straight series win against the Vols at home.

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.

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