HOOVER, Ala. — LSU used a dominant performance from starting pitcher Thatcher Hurd and a potent offense to defeat South Carolina 10-3 on Wednesday in a second-round game of the SEC Baseball Tournament.
Hurd, a transfer from UCLA, allowed just one run on four hits and struck out five in 5 1/3 innings. He was helped by a LSU offense that pounded out 12 hits, including two apiece by Dylan Crews, Josh Pearson, Tommy White and Braden Jobert. Read more: How to watch the 2023 SEC Baseball Tournament?
The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on a two-run homer by Jobert. South Carolina got one run back in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Ethan Petry, but LSU answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-1 lead.
The Tigers added two more runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to put the game away.
The Tigers are now 43-13 overall and 20-10 in the SEC. South Carolina falls to 39-18 overall and 16-14 in the conference.
Hurd’s Hand-Me-Down Glove Helps LSU Win
Hurd’s performance was all the more impressive, considering he was using a hand-me-down glove from his teammate, All-SEC pitcher Paul Skenes.
“I thought I was able to command the fastball,” Hurd said. “I was trying to go right at them, throw it right over the white. That’s the best way to do it.
“And my glove broke the other day, so I’ve been using Paul’s hand-me-down. And it’s got good Mojo, so I’m going to keep rolling with it.”
Hurd said he was able to command his fastball and mix in his other pitches effectively.
The sophomore went right at the the opponents, and he believed that’s the best way to do it.
The Tigers’ offense did its part, too. Crews, Pearson, White and Jobert all had two hits, and the Tigers also got a sacrifice fly from Tre’ Morgan and a double from Hayden Travinski.
“I feel like we were firing on all cylinders today,” Jobert said. “That just happened to be the start of it. We have amazing players one through through. So if I’m in the No. 8 hole and Dylan is leading off, I still feel like I’m going to hit.
“I’ve never been on a team that it’s been like that. We have amazing players one through nine, and if we just play our ball, we feel like nobody can handle us.”
LSU will look to keep its momentum going on Thursday. The Tigers LSU will return to action on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET when they face the winner of the Texas A&M and Arkansas game. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network and the LSU Sports Radio Network.
