Tag: Paxton Kling

Luke Holman gets LSU back in the win column against Northern Illinois

Luke Holman made his second start of the season and he pitched a masterclass as he got LSU back in the win column.

[autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag] made his second start of the season and he pitched a masterclass as he got LSU back in the win column with a 5-2 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday. Holman pitched seven innings and allowed zero runs on two hits, eight strikeouts and no walks.

LSU scored first in this one as [autotag]Mac Bingham[/autotag] had an RBI groundout and [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag] was walked with the bases loaded to give LSU a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, LSU scored three more runs as Bingham hit a two-run homer to left field and Pearson followed it with an RBI single to give LSU a 5-0 lead.

After that, the LSU bats went as cold as ice. The Tigers only managed three hits against Northern Illinois as Bingham, [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag], and Pearson were the only Tigers that got a hit. After Holman left the game, [autotag]Christian Little[/autotag] came in for the eighth inning. Little allowed zero runs on zero hits, two strikeouts, and a walk as he maintained the 5-0 LSU lead.

In the top of the ninth inning, things got interesting. [autotag]Justin Loer[/autotag] entered the game on the mound and Northern Illinois teed off on him. The Huskies scored two runs on two hits as they chased Loer from the mound. [autotag]Gavin Guidry[/autotag] came in after Loer and shut Northern Illinois down to secure the 5-2 victory for LSU.

With the win, LSU moves to 6-1 this season. The Tigers will get a shot at revenge against Stony Brook on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT

Bombs away in Baton Rouge as LSU baseball takes down Northern Illinois in series opener

The ball was jumping off the bats in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon.

The ball was jumping off the bats in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon as the Tigers took on the Northern Illinois Huskies. [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag] got the start on the mound for LSU and he pitched 2.1 innings and allowed one (unearned) run with four strikeouts and a walk.

The Huskies scored their unearned run in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead but that lead only lasted until the bottom of the second inning when LSU plated four runs. [autotag]Michael Braswell III[/autotag] and [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] both hit their first homers of the season to give LSU a 4-1 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Tigers tacked on another run when Braswell hit a sacrifice fly to score [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] to make it 5-1 LSU. The Huskies tacked on another run due to a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning to cut the lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] and [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag] both hit their first homers of the season as they extended the LSU lead to 9-2.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Pearson hit another solo shot to extend the lead to 10-2. [autotag]Micah Bucknam[/autotag] finished off the final two innings of the game as the Tigers improved to 5-0 on the season.

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Luke Holman leads Tigers past Central Arkansas in LSU baseball debut

Luke Holman was impressive as he pitched 5.1 innings and allowed zero runs on three hits, 10 strikeouts and a walk.

In the second game of the season, LSU fans got their first look at transfer pitcher [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag] from Alabama. Holman was impressive as he pitched 5.1 innings and allowed zero runs on three hits, 10 strikeouts, and a walk. He looked like he was in mid-season form as he led LSU to a low-scoring 2-0 win against Central Arkansas on Saturday.

The same thing can’t be said for the LSU bats. There was a nearly 20-degree difference between the weather Friday and Saturday. The Tiger bats went cold just like the weather.

Through five innings, LSU only had three hits and one run. That lone run came in the bottom of the fourth inning when [autotag]Stephen Milam[/autotag] hit an RBI single to right field to score [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag].

[autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag] came into the game to pitch for Holman with a runner on first and one out in the sixth inning. [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] then made an incredible catch in the outfield for out No. 2 and Herring struck out the next hitter to get out of the inning with the 1-0 lead intact.

In the top of the seventh inning, [autotag]Fidel Ulloa[/autotag] came into pitch with one out and a runner on first and second. Ulloa is another transfer pitcher LSU picked up. He came to LSU after spending two years at San Joaquin Delta College.

He struck out the first two hitters he faced to send us to the bottom of the seventh clinging to a 1-0 lead.

With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, [autotag]DJ Primeaux[/autotag] entered the game to pitch with runners on first and second with two outs. Primeaux got the first batter he faced to ground out and we headed to the bottom of the inning with LSU still up 1-0.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, [autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] gave LSU some breathing room as he hit his second homer in his second game of the year. His solo shot wrapped around the foul pole in right field and gave LSU a 2-0 lead.

[autotag]Samuel Dutton[/autotag] entered in the top of the ninth inning to try to get his first save of the season. Dutton allowed a single but a flyout and two strikeouts secured the 2-0 victory for LSU.

The Tigers will face VMI again on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.

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LSU baseball knocks the rust off in season-opening win over VMI

LSU had some issues to began the year, but it came away with the win.

This was not the start to the season [autotag]Thatcher Hurd[/autotag] wanted. All the Tigers had to knock the rust off as they struggled against VMI in the first game of the season, surviving at home to win 11-8.

Hurd was pulled after 2.2 innings. He gave up four runs on five hits, four strikeouts and a walk. [autotag]Justin Loer[/autotag] came into the game for him and got the Tigers out of a jam. [autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] got the scoring started in the bottom of the second with a three-run bomb to left field to make it 3-0 LSU.

VMI would then score four runs in the top of the third to take a 4-3 lead before LSU answered with a [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] double to make it 5-4 Tigers.

 

VMI scored the next two runs to take a 6-5 lead before LSU answered with five runs of their own to take a 10-6 lead. [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] and [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jones walked before [autotag]Mac Bingham[/autotag] hit a two-RBI double.

VMI scored the next two runs to cut the lead to 10-8 before Travinski hit a solo shot in the bottom of the eighth inning to extend the lead to 11-8.

In the top of the ninth, we got our first look at [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag]. He retired the side 1-2-3 to win the game 11-8. LSU will take on Central Arkansas on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT as [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag] will make his Tigers debut on the mound.

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Eight Tigers make D1Baseball’s top 200 prospects list

Six LSU players cracked the top 50.

D1Baseball has released its list of the top 200 prospects for the 2024 MLB Draft. The LSU Tigers have eight players who have made the list.

[autotag]Nate Ackenhausen[/autotag], [autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Gavin Guidry[/autotag], [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag], [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag], [autotag]Thatcher Hurd[/autotag], [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag] and [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] all made the top 200 of those players and six of them made the top 50 of all of those players with one player just on the outside at No. 51.

Even after losing the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the MLB draft, [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] and the Tigers reloaded with talented players out of the transfer portal and out of the most recent recruiting class.

LSU will take on VMI on Friday in Game 1 of the 2024 season. In the meantime, here’s a rundown of all eight players.

D1Baseball editor gives an inside scoop on LSU Baseball

LSU will start its title defense on Feb. 16 against VMI.

Kendall Rogers, the managing editor for D1Baseball, took a trip to Baton Rouge to check out the defending national champions to see how they are looking going into 2024. After leaving the bayou, Rogers gave his thoughts on what he saw.

A few interesting thoughts on this. Talk about a strong starting rotation. [autotag]Thatcher Hurd[/autotag], [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag] and [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag] are about as good of a three-man rotation as you will find anywhere in the NCAA. Don’t sleep on [autotag]Cam Johnson[/autotag] either. He is just a freshman but he has the talent to be a Friday night starter already. [autotag]Justin Loer[/autotag], the transfer from Xavier is also a top-tier pitcher. What a rotation.

Another thing, it seems that true freshman [autotag]Jake Brown[/autotag] has earned his spot on the roster as a starter in the outfield. To complement that, it seems [autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] will slide [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag] down to second base. Pearson has spent the last two years as a corner outfielder for the Tigers but now he will take the place of [autotag]Gavin Dugas[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag].

Rogers was even kind enough to give us a possible starting nine for the Tigers. It looks like the outfield will consist of [autotag]Mac Bingham[/autotag] (Arizona transfer), [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] and Jake Brown. In the infield, it will be [autotag]Tommy White[/autotag] at third base, [autotag]Michael Braswell III[/autotag] (South Carolina transfer) at shortstop, Pearson/[autotag]Brady Neal[/autotag] at second base, [autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] at first base, [autotag]Alex Millazo[/autotag]/[autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] at catcher, and Travinski/[autotag]Ethan Frey[/autotag] as the designated hitter.

LSU will start its title defense on Feb. 16 against VMI.

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3 Tigers named among top 20 draft eligible sophomores by D1Baseball

Jay Johnson and the defending national champion LSU Tigers have landed three players on D1 Baseball’s top 20 draft-eligible sophomores list.

[autotag]Jay Johnson[/autotag] and the defending national champion LSU Tigers have landed three players on D1 Baseball’s top 20 draft-eligible sophomores list. Jared Jones, [autotag]Gavin Guidry[/autotag] and [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag].

They call him “Bear.” Jared “Bear” Jones is a first baseman/catcher who can absolutely swing it. He has light tower power that helps him hit tanks out of Alex Box Stadium on nearly a daily basis. Jones had a .304 batting average with a .426 on-base percentage and a .640 slugging percentage as he hit 14 homers and had 45 RBI.

Guidry is the prime example of a five-tool player. There is not anything he can’t do. He was profiled as an infielder out of high school but coach Johnson decided that Guidry could be a very valuable pitcher for LSU last year. Guidry went on to have a 3-0 record with a 3.77 ERA over 28.2 innings pitched.

Kling had a roller-coaster season in 2023 but he showed promise as a talented outfielder that can fly and when he is hot at the plate he is nearly unstoppable. Kling finished 2023 with a .289 average with five doubles, two triples, four homers, and nine RBI.

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Five LSU players named to D1Baseball’s top 100 2024 college prospects

D1Baseball released its top 100 college prospects for the 2024 MLB draft, and five LSU Tigers made the ranking.

D1Baseball released its top 100 college prospects for the 2024 MLB draft, and five LSU Tigers made the ranking.

[autotag]Tommy White[/autotag], [autotag]Luke Holman[/autotag], [autotag]Thatcher Hurd[/autotag], [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] and [autotag]Gage Jump[/autotag] all made the top 100, with the lowest one being ranked No. 62.

White was ranked as the No. 7 player on the list. He was one of the best hitters in the country last year as he finished the season with a .374 batting average, 24 homers and 105 RBI.

Holman was ranked as the No. 12 player on the list. Holman is a transfer pitcher from Alabama. He served as the Crimson Tide’s ace last year as he went 7-4 and finished with a 3.67 ERA.

Hurd was ranked as the No. 25 player on the list. Hurd is a guy that struggled at the start of the season but he came on strong when LSU needed him the most. He finished the season with an 8-2 record and a 5.68 ERA.

Kling was ranked as the No. 50 player on the list. The sophomore outfielder finished last season with a .289 batting average in 57 games played.

Jump was ranked as the No. 62 player on the list. The left-handed pitcher is a transfer from UCLA where he did not pitch in 2023 due to injury.

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WATCH: Josh Pearson makes ‘SportsCenter’ Top 10

Josh Pearson made waves with his play in center field this week

As usual, some of college baseball’s best have shown up in Cape Cod for summer league baseball.

A few LSU players are there, including outfielder [autotag]Josh Pearson[/autotag].

Playing for the Brewster Whitecaps, Pearson made a catch that put him in the “SportsCenter” top 10.

A Louisiana native from West Monroe, Pearson was a sophomore in 2023. He was a consistent presence in right field and the bottom of the lineup.

With several of LSU’s top contributors off to the professional ranks, Pearson will get a chance to earn a spot at the top of the lineup and compete for the starting job in center field.

Pearson hit .226 last year but hit .299 as a freshman. He has a career OPS of .871 with 12 home runs.

Other LSU players in the Cape Cod League are [autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag], [autotag]Brady Neal[/autotag], [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag], [autotag]Griffin Herring[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Loer[/autotag].

It’s valuable experience for a lot of guys who will be expected to take on bigger roles next year.

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LSU heads to losers’ bracket after SEC tournament loss to Arkansas

LSU will play Texas A&M in an elimination game Friday at 3 p.m. CT.

[autotag]Paul Skenes[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Hagan Smith[/autotag], the No. 2 seed facing the No. 3 seed, [autotag]Dylan Crews[/autotag] and [autotag]Peyton Holt[/autotag] facing each other the storylines wrote themselves ahead of Thursday’s SEC tournament game against Arkansas for LSU.

Ultimately, the Razorbacks will have Friday off while LSU will have to face Texas A&M in an elimination game after the Hogs won 5-4.

[autotag]Tre Morgan[/autotag] got the scoring started with an RBI single in the top of the first to draw first blood. The Tigers scored again in the fourth inning when [autotag]Hayden Travinski[/autotag] scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 LSU.

The Razorbacks flipped the script in the bottom of the fourth inning as they plated five runs (only two earned) against Skenes. That chased him from the mound. He finished the day after going 3.2 innings and allowing 5 runs on four hits, three strikeouts, and two walks.

[autotag]Riley Cooper[/autotag] stepped in to try and finish the inning. With the game tied 2-2, Cooper appeared to have gotten the third out, BUT [autotag]Alex Milazzo[/autotag] was called for catcher’s interference with bases loaded and that scored a run. They scored two more after that to make it 5-2 Arkansas after four innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, [autotag]Jordan Thompson[/autotag] hit an RBI single to score Travinski to cut the lead to 5-3 as we headed to the bottom of the eighth. The top of the order was due up in the ninth for the Tigers but could they make a comeback?

[autotag]Jared Jones[/autotag] popped out for out number one. Crews then hit a solo homer to cut the lead to 5-4 as [autotag]Paxton Kling[/autotag] came into pinch-hit. Kling struck out for out number two. White grounded out for out number three and Arkansas won 5-4.

With the loss, LSU will play Texas A&M on Friday in an elimination game at 3 p.m. CT.

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