LSU watched their season come to a close over the weekend in Corvallis. For Oregon State, it was an opportunity to avenge the losses that sent them packing in Omaha last year. And avenge they did as they steamrolled the Tigers by a combined score of 24-1.
Zack Hess took the loss on Saturday in what might have been his final appearance as a Tiger. Hess gave up eight earned runs in 3.1 innings. Hess allowed six hits while walking four. Caleb Gilbert and Trent Vietmeier did not stop the bleeding as they allowed five more runs in relief. LSU’s lone run came on a Jake Slaughter home run in the fourth.
After a five-run explosion against Northwestern in the 9th on Sunday afternoon, LSU earned another shot at Oregon State. Round two was not any better for the Tigers as they lost 12-0. By Sunday night LSU’s pitching staff was depleted. The Sunday night game was LSU’s fourth game in three days. And if that wasn’t enough, Hilliard and Labas were not available at all over the weekend. LSU lost 12-1. Oregon State freshman Kevin Abel blanked the Tigers for eight innings to close the curtain on the 2018 Tigers.
For LSU’s standards, 2018 was a down year. If you want to look at the bright side, one could say it’s quite impressive LSU made it as far as they did, considering they had to replace their whole weekend rotation as well as professional talent all over the field. Things are looking up in 2018 with the return of Eric Walker and a MUCH more experienced team in the field.
The MLB draft began Monday, which means LSU will be watching to see where their current players get drafted as well as their signees. Click here to get a detailed breakdown from The Advocate’s Luke Johnson to see what LSU fans should be watching this week.
There was a glimmer of hope that shortstop Brice Turang would end up at LSU after his stock took a small hit over the last year. All that hope was crushed Monday when the Brewers selected Turang with the 21st pick.
Tuesday could not have gone better for LSU. The biggest surprise of the day was Nick Bush being the first Tiger selected. Bush was selected by the Rockies in the eighth round. Zack Hess and Zach Watson to the surprise of many were not drafted. That is no knock on their ability. Teams started to doubt their ability to sign Hess and Watson and opted not to take the risk.
The only LSU signee drafted was Levi Kelly, who the Arizona Diamondbacks selected in the eighth round. Kelly is expected to sign with Arizona and not attend LSU. This can be thrown in the #AsExpected category.
The end of baseball season means football season is inching closer and closer. LSU began summer school on Monday which means the Tigers can resume preparation for the 2018 season. Per Scott Rabalais of The Advocate, Stanford transfer Terrance Alexander will be the lone player not enrolled as he finishes taking care of business at Stanford.
Ross Dellenger may not be on the LSU beat with The Advocate anymore, but that didn't stop him from getting the full scoop on how LSU wooed Joe Burrow to Baton Rouge. Click here to read Dellenger’s piece for Sports Illustrated.
LSU Great Kevin Faulk was named to the College Football Hall Of Fame ballot for 2019.
The SEC announced TV times and assignments for the first couple of weeks of next season. LSU’s home opener vs Southeastern will get a 6pm ESPNU kick, while the true road opener at Auburn in week 3 will be the CBS game of the week.
The Women’s Tennis program won the first NCAA championship in program history last month when Jessica Golovin and Eden Richardson won the Women’s Doubles tournament.
There will be some rule changes in SEC baseball next year. Teams will be permitted to play two fall games against out of conference opponents. Centralized replay has also been approved as long as it gets approved nationwide by the NCAA.
Women’s Golf coach Karen Bahnsen is stepping down from the program after 34 years, the second longest tenured LSU coach, behind only D. D. Breaux. Bahnsen is sadly stepping down due to health issues in her family, but she will still be working for LSU with TAF.
Congratulations to Carley Hoover and Allie Walljasper, who both earned All-American honors for their performance on the softball field this year. Hoover and Walljasper led a senior class that appeared in three Women’s College World Series. Both Hoover and Walljasper, as well as CF Emily Griggs will play in the National Pro Fastpitch softball league.
LSU Softball certainly has a lot to replace with those three gone. Saltzman took a look at where the program is headed and what they will do to replace and move on from the most winningest class in LSU history.