BATON ROUGE, La. – Jordan Thompson's walk-off home run in the 13th inning lifted No. 15 LSU to a 10-9 win over UTSA baseball to clinch the series for the Tigers, in a nearly five-hour thriller in front of 3,861 on Saturday at Alex Box Stadium.
UTSA (5-5) trailed LSU (13-3) 4-0 heading into the eighth inning before erupting with three in the inning and getting a game-tying tally in the ninth to force extra innings. UTSA took a 7-4 lead after three in the top of the 10th inning but Cade Doughty – his second three-run homer of the game – to tie it at seven. The Roadrunners wouldn't quit, plating two in the 12th inning on a two-out, two-run double from Jonathan Tapia but Gavin Dugas – down to LSU's last strike – ripped a two-run homer to tie the game. After a scoreless top of the 13th, Thompson ripped a 1-1 offering out for the walk-off homer.
The Roadrunners got three hits from Griffin Paxton, who added three walks, and a 2-for-5 game with four RBI from Tapia. Freshman Austin Ochoa came off the bench to star for the Roadrunners, belting his second homer to give UTSA a lead in the 10th inning and adding a single in the 12th to spark UTSA's go-ahead rally. UTSA also got hits from Kyle Bergeron, Dylan Rock and Joshua Lamb.
UTSA starter Shane Daughety worked six innings, allowing four hits and one walk, striking out four.
Senior Arturo Guajardo came on in relief of Daughety, making his NCAA debut by working a shutout frame before giving way to Daniel Garza who worked a perfect eighth and took the mound in a tie game in the bottom of the eighth, tossing two innings, allowing two runs. After the first two reached to open the ninth inning, UTSA turned to Reece Easterling.
Easterling surrendered the game-tying homer in the 10th inning but worked a shutout frame in the 11th, before allowing the game-tying homer in the 12th. Easterling worked three full innings, allowing four hits and three runs, walking one and striking out three. UTSA turned to John Chomko (0-1) to open the 13th, with Thompson hitting his sixth homer of the year with one out to finish the game.
LSU starter Landon Marceaux worked six shutout, two-hit innings, striking out 11 and walking three. He gave way to Ty Floyd with a 4-0 lead to open the seventh, with Floyd tossing a shutout frame with three strikeouts.
Alex Brady came on in the eighth, allowing three hits before Aaron George came on with the tying run at the plate. George got an out, allowing a walk and single before Ma'Khail Hillard entered in a bases-loaded jam with one out, escaping the jam. Garrett Edwards tossed the ninth, allowing the tying run to score. Trent Vietmeier opened the 10th inning for LSU, allowing a walk and the two-run homer. Jacob Hasty came on and walked the first hitter he faced before Michael Fowler replaced him to finish the frame.
Devin Fontenot tossed a shutout 11th inning on the bump for the Tigers and Blake Money started the 12th, the 11th pitcher of the game for the Tigers. Money (1-0) earned the win with two innings, allowing two hits and two runs.
The series will conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Alex Box Stadium in a game broadcast live on SEC Network+.
LSU struck first in the bottom of the third, getting a single from catcher Alex Milazzo to open the frame, scoring from first on a double into left-centerfield from Dylan Crews. After Tre' Morgan was hit by a pitch, Cade Doughty belted a three-run homer out to leftfield for a 4-0 lead.
UTSA struck in the eighth inning for the second straight game, getting a leadoff single from Lamb, who moved to scoring position after a bobble in the outfield. Paxton moved him to third with a single and Lamb scored after Tapia's RBI knock. Bergeron greeted LSU's new reliever, George, and extended his hitting streak to six games with a single into rightfield, allowing Paxton to score. After a passed ball on a high fastball allowed Tapia and Bergeron to move into scoring position, Ian Bailey drew a bases-loaded walk. Pinch hitter Rock delivered an RBI single into centerfield, with Tapia scoring.
In the ninth inning, Lamb led off with a hard chopper to third that was scored as an error. Paxton followed with an RBI double into the left-centerfield gap, allowing Lamb to motor home with the tying run.
Rock opened the 10th inning with a leadoff walk on five pitches and Ochoa belted a two-run, go-ahead homer to give UTSA a 6-4 lead, his second homer of the year. Shane Sirdashney drew a walk and after taking second, advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out. After Paxton drew a walk to put men on the corners, Tapia hung a sac fly to rightfield to score Sirdashney.
After a leadoff single and walk, Doughty tied the game with a three-run homer in the bottom of the 10thinning. Cade Beloso followed with a one-out triple into the gap and UTSA walked Gavin Dugas to set up the double play. Easterling got a key strikeout for the second out and escaped the jam with a foul fly down the first-base line.
In the top of the 12th inning, UTSA got a leadoff single from Ochoa. After a sac bunt pushed Ochoa to second and a second out, Paxton was intentionally walked. Tapia delivered the go-ahead two-run double off the wall in centerfield, giving UTSA a 9-7 lead.
Down to its last strike, Dugas tied the game for LSU with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 12th inning.
GAME NOTES: Senior RHP Shane Daughety made his second start of the year in his third appearance … Senior 3B Taylor Barber made his first start of the year … Daughety has made 11 starts in his career, appearing in 32 games … Senior Griffin Paxton has reached base safely in all 10 games in 2021 … Senior RHP Arturo Guajardo made his NCAA debut in the seventh inning … Senior DH Kyle Bergeron has a six-game hit streak … Senior C Nick Thornquist nabbed his fourth and fifth runners stealing on the year … Freshman RHP Daniel Garza worked in his fourth game of the year … UTSA played its first extra-inning game of the year … Freshman 3B Austin Ochoa hit his second career home run.
- UTSA -
