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For the first time since 2005, LSU has been eliminated from the SEC Tournament on opening Tuesday.
The Tigers lost their opening game to Georgia 4-1 in a game full of frustrations and Tiger shortcoming:
- LSU had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the first inning and only scored one run, off a double play.
- With the bases loaded in the bottom of the first LSU induced a would-be inning ending double play but couldn’t turn it, allowing one run to score. After a walk to re-load the bases, Landon Marceaux gave up a three-run double.
- LSU got back-to-back leadoff singles in the fourth inning, but two strikeouts and a caught stealing brought the inning to a swift end.
- Finally, LSU loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning after a walk, a single, and a hit by pitch. Neither Zach Arnold nor Drew Bianco could put a bevy of 94 mph letter high fastballs in play.
- Maybe most painfully, LSU’s failure to score more than a single run ruins what was otherwise a great outing from Landon Marceaux. After the first inning, he allowed no runs on six hits and walking only two while striking out eight and pitching all eight innings.
Unfortunately, the first inning counts and even if you take it away, LSU still didn’t score a single run beyond that point.
So for the first time since 2005, LSU has been eliminated from the SEC Tournament on opening Tuesday. They now return home on Wednesday and wait until Sunday to find out their postseason fate.
Coming into the SEC Tournament, LSU had an RPI of 21 and the SOS of 2. LSU was assumed to be a safe pick in the tournament as a three or four seed, but needed a win or two in Hoover to become absolute locks. Now LSU’s fate is wholly in the NCAA’s hands and the outcomes of several mid-major tournaments that determine the size of the bubble.
The odds of making the postseason may be in LSU’s favor due to their resumé on the season, but the truth is LSU looked nothing like a tournament team Tuesday. That’s why they’ll be at home on Wednesday.