LSU will host its very first very local in Baton Rouge when the Tigers will invite Kentucky for the 2nd time this season. However, there will be more at stake this time as the winner of the Baton Rouge Super Regional will punch a ticket to Omaha.
This is LSU’s 16th very local look because the very local format was developed in 1999. LSU is trying to find its very first College World Series look because 2017. This is just Kentucky’s 2nd Super Regional look as the only other time the Wildcats advanced to the Super Regionals remained in 2017. If Kentucky wins the Baton Rouge Regional, they will advance to Omaha for the very first time in school history.
LSU can be found in with a 46-15 record and as champs of the Baton Rouge Regional. In the Baton Rouge Regional, the Tigers went 3-0 and beat the similarity Tulane and Oregon State two times.
Kentucky can be found in with a 40-19 record and is the champ of the Lexington Regional. After Kentucky won its very first video game versus Ball State and lost its 2nd video game to Indiana, the Wildcats beat West Virginia in a removal video game prior to beating Indiana two times in the local last to advance to the very regionals.
Kentucky and LSU dealt with each other earlier in the season on April 13-15. LSU won 2 video games out of 3 in what was a chirpy and hard-fought series success over the Wildcats from the very first video game up until the last.
Let’s take a look at both groups and see how they compare versus each other.
LSU
If there is something that LSU has actually been understood for, it’s striking. However, LSU is at another level this season as LSU fans have actually not seen their group struck like this because the days of Skip Bertman and “gorilla ball”.
LSU leads the SEC in batting average, punching portion, on-base portion, runs, strikes, RBIs, and sac flies. The Tigers are likewise connected for very first in home keeps up Florida.
The Tigers have the very best player in baseball with outfielder Dylan Crews. Crews, the two-time SEC Player of the Year and Golden Spikes Award finalist has actually batted .432 from the plate with 14 doubles, a triple, 17 home runs and 63 RBIs. Crews are likewise second nationally in on-base portion while he is 3rd nationally in batting average. Crews was called the MVP of the Baton Rouge Regional.
Third baseman Tommy White is LSU’s finest power player on the group leader in doubles (20) and home runs (22). White, who was called as a member of Collegiate Baseball’s All-AMerican group, is 3rd nationally in RBIs with 93.
Designated player Cade Beloso and catcher Hayden Travinski have actually threatened players since late also. In LSU’s victories over Oregon State, both Beloso and Travinski hit back-to-back home runs. Beloso is batting .329 at the plate with 13 homers and 38 RBIs. Travinski, who has only started 18 games out of 34 appearances for LSU, has 10 home runs along with 29 RBIs.
Left fielder Josh Pearson has been one of LSU’s hottest bats since the regular season was nearing its end. Pearson was named to the All-Regional team after he batted .363 (4-11) from the plate with two triples, one home run and five RBIs.
Although LSU’s pitching staff not named Paul Skenes and Ty Floyd has struggled throughout the latter half of the season, they have actually finally found their stride in the last three weeks.
Thatcher Hurd has finally implemented himself as the No.3 starter for the Tigers. Against Oregon State in the winner’s bracket, Hurd came in relief for Floyd after a lengthy rain delay and fanned 12 Oregon State batters in LSU’s 6-5 victory.
True freshman Gavin Guidry has been LSU’s main closer in the latter half of the season. In his last three outings, Guidry has had six strikeouts, three hits allowed and no walks.
LSU pitcher Javen Coleman returned on April 18 after going through Tommy John surgery last season. In seven appearances this season, Coleman has fanned 19 batters with 12 walks and nine hits allowed in 12.2 innings.
Nate Ackenhausen, Riley Cooper and Griffin Herring have stepped up as well.
Kentucky
UK baseball ran a lap around Kentucky Proud Park to thank fans as they celebrated a 4-2 victory against Indiana during the NCAA Regional final in Lexington Ky. on June 5, 2023.
Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
Kentucky has been known for its “small ball” style of play because of its emphasis on individual runs and attempts to score them. Instead of using extra-base hits, “small ball” teams like the Wildcats use walks, stolen bases, sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly balls, hit-and-runs and aggressive baserunning.
However, because of this style of play, teams have to sacrifice hitting and home runs to play this particular style. No team embodied the “small ball” spirit like the 2013-2015 Kansas City Royals.
The Royals led the league in stolen bases but finished last in home runs in 2013 and 2014. However, the Royals went to back-to-back World Series in 2014 and 2015, winning it in the latter year over the New York Mets in six games.
Just like those Royal teams, Kentucky leads the SEC in stolen bases but is dead last in home runs. Despite being in last place in home runs, Kentucky is third in triples and fourth in doubles and batting average.
Jackson Gray has been Kentucky’s batter all season. Gray has a .348 batting average with 15 doubles, five home runs and is the SEC leader in triples with six. He also leads the team in on-base percentage (.504) and has 19 stolen base attempts on 26 attempts.
Hunter Gilliam and catcher Devin Burkes are two of Kentucky’s most harmful sluggers.
Gilliam leads the team in both home runs (12) and RBIs (71), while Burkes leads the team in doubles with 18 and has sent eight homers over the outfield wall.
Second baseman Emilien Pitre is your quintessential “small ball” player. Pitre has only struck one home run all year but he has actually a .322 batting average with 16 doubles, 51 RBIs and 18 stolen bases on 22 attempts.
Some other notable “small ball” players are Jase Felker and Ryan Waldschmidt.
Because of the way Kentucky plays, a good defense and pitching staff is needed. Fortunately for the Wildcats, they excel at both.
Kentucky is first in fielding percentage, second in assists and third in double plays in the SEV when it comes to fielding.
The Wildcats, while 13th in strikeouts, are second in the SEC in runs allowed, third in ERA and fifth in runs allowed and hits allowed.
Kentucky’s ace pitcher is Zack Lee (5-3). IN 67.1 innings pitched, Lee has actually a 3.74 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 27 walks. However, he has allowed 10 doubles and nine home runs.
Darren Williams (4-2) is in his sixth year at Kentucky. Williams has a 4.04 ERA, 61 strikeouts and 22 walks. Williams has beaned 15 batters on the year, which is a group-high.
Reliever Mason Moore has actually more of a wildcard role in this pitching rotation, similar to that of Arkansas star pitcher Hagen Smith. Moore has actually a 1.95 age, 49 strikeouts and an opposing btting average of .167.
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