LSU got a much-needed win in Game 1 and will look to clinch the series against the Bulldogs on Friday.
LSU has lost two conference series in a row and they are at risk of losing their super regional hosting rights. A good showing this weekend would prevent that, and LSU took care of business in Game 1 with an 8-5 win over Georgia, though it took 12 innings to get there.
[autotag]Brayden Jobert[/autotag] got the party started in the top of the second inning when he hit a two-run blast over the scoreboard in right field to give LSU a 2-0 lead.
With [autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] on the mound, a two-run lead is usually enough to win the game. Not this time. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Georgia tied the game with a solo homer and an RBI single to tie the game 2-2 as we headed into the sixth inning.
In the top of the eighth inning, [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] broke the tie with a solo homer and [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] followed that up with a solo shot of his own to make it 4-2 LSU heading into the bottom of the inning.
[autotag]Riley Cooper[/autotag] took over for Skenes on the mound to start the bottom of the eighth. Skenes finished the game after pitching seven innings and allowing two runs on four hits, a walk and 12 strikeouts.
Cooper walked the first batter he faced and he was pulled for [autotag]Thatcher Hurd[/autotag]. Hurd struck out the first batter he faced, walked the next one and got out No. 2 on a fielder’s choice. Hurd got the next batter to pop up to short, but Thompson dropped the ball and a run scored to make it 4-3.
Hurd got the next hitter to pop up for out No. 3.
[autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] hit his first “Crews Missile” in a while to extend the LSU lead to 5-3 as we headed to the bottom of the ninth.
The first batter in the bottom of the ninth hit a solo shot, and just like that, it was a one-run game again. Hurd would stay in the game to try and finish the job. He got the next two hitters out quickly, but with only one out remaining, Georgia hit a solo shot to tie the game 5-5. The next hitter grounded out and we headed to extra innings.
Neither team could score a run in the top of the 10th so we headed to the 11th. Jobert was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. [autotag]Alex Milazzo[/autotag] advanced him with a sacrifice bunt. [autotag]Ben Nippolt[/autotag] came in to pinch-hit for [autotag]Gavin Dugas[/autotag], and he drew a walk to put runners on first and second with only one out.
The bases were loaded for Crews and White, but the Tigers failed to score after Crews struck out and White grounded into a fielder’s choice. Hurd retired all three Georgia hitters in short order and we headed to the 12th inning.
Travinski started the 12th inning with a double and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag] then hit a two-run homer to give the Tigers a 7-5 lead. Thompson followed that with a homer of his own to make it 8-5 as we headed to the bottom of the 12th.
Hurd retired all three batters he faced in the bottom of the 12th and LSU survived Game 1 against Georgia with an 8-5 win. The Tigers will go for the series win at 5 p.m. CT on Friday.
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