Look, I'm not going to lie. I didn't see the LSU baseball series this weekend. Lil Poseur completely and totally won control of the remote and my computer, and we are in full panic mode around the house as we prepare for an impending visit from Grandma.
So, this review is based almost entirely off of box scores, because I didn't even give Princeton enough respect to even consider them beating us, requiring me to watch. I regret nothing, and it turns out, I was right. They really did pose no real threat.
THE RANKINGS
POLLS: 2nd Baseball America, 3rd Collegiate Baseball, 7th d1baseball.com
RPI: 52nd
ISR: 28th
How do I know LSU has played a weak schedule so far?
THE PITCHING
Jared Poche' was probably left in for an inning too long on Friday. He gave up a homer to lead off the 6th, then settled down for a 1-2-3 inning. He trotted back out for the 7th, and proceeded to give up a single and a double. He did get a crucial strikeout with two runners on and one out, allowing Cartwright to get out of the inning with no damage done. He only threw 92 pitches, so I get that he was efficient and I guess there was no way to tell he'd have a rough 6th. So really, I'm just engaging in ridiculous second guessing. The bullpen, of course, slammed the door shut to get the final seven outs by only allowing one baserunner, and that was via error.
Jake Godfrey struggled a bit in Game Two early on, loading the bases on two walks and an error (there are those errors again!) But, other than allowing a two-out, two-RBI single, he escaped relatively unscathed. Besides, LSU scored 4 runs in the bottom of the second inning, and no one even remembered the early struggles from that point on.
Alex Lange closed out the doubleheader in predictably dominant style. He struck out 6 over 6 innings, which for him is actually a step backwards, and allowed 0 runs and only 5 baserunners. In collecting 18 outs, he faced only 22 batters. Yeah, he's pretty good.
Russell Reynolds broke the bullpen's weekend scoreless streak by giving up 4 runs in the 8th, but given that LSU started the inning up 15-0, it's hard to get too bent out of shape about it. Save your bad outings for days in which you are staked to a double digit lead is what I always say.
INTERLUDE
Or What Lil Poseur Demanded We Watch Instead
All of the Toy Story movies. All of them. Including the shorts that came after the third one about getting left at the hotel by Bonnie. Andy never would have done that, I tell you. Be more responsible with Woody and Buzz, girl.
I'd just like to say that the Jessie/Emily sequence in Toy Story 2 is probably the only stretch of film as emotionally devastating as the first 10 minutes of Up. Really, Toy Story 3 is fleshing out that same story into a full movie, but they had already succeeding in gutting me in the prior film. I'm making a stand, Toy Story 2 is still the best Toy Story.
THE HITTING
It took a day to get warmed up, but holy God. Princeton didn't have a chance on Saturday.
LSU scored 22 runs in the double header which, not to put too fine a point on it, is a lot. 15 runs in the nightcap made it seem like scoring 7 runs in the first half of the double header isn't a ton of scoring, which it certainly is. Jake Fraley hit two triples in Game One which is sort of awesome, and whole heck of a lot of fun.
The best part of the Game Three is that every starter except Fraley had at least one hit, and Fraley was pulled after three innings. Sciambra came on and collected two hits. Also, it's good to see the leadoff guys getting on and sparking rallies. Foster went 2 for 6, including a home run, and Laird went 3 for 5, scoring 4 times.
And while big innings keyed the 15 run outburst, it wasn't just one big crooked number. LSU scored 4 runs or more in three different innings. That's the sign of an explosive offense. Get on, and drive them home. It was a good weekend.
Oh, and Bregman hit a home run and stole four bases on the weekend. Ho hum. He's awesome.
NEXT UP
Stephen F Austin and Grambling today and tomorrow, followed by the Houston College Classic this weekend. LSU gets to go on the road and play some quality teams: Houston, Baylor, and Nebraska. This is a huge opportunity early in the year to show that the team is for real, and not just a mirage of an easy schedule.