LSU loses lead, drops Game 2 vs. Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt second baseman Jayden Davis hit a two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning Friday night to erase a 6-5 deficit and lift the sixth-ranked Commodores to an 8-6 win over No. 18 LSU in Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field.
Vanderbilt improved to 24-7 overall, 7-4 in the SEC, while LSU dropped to 21-11 overall and 3-8 in conference play.
The teams conclude the series at 2 p.m. CT Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on the LSU Sports Radio Network and streamed on SEC Network +.
“It’s a tough one to swallow,” said LSU coach Jay Johnson. “Those late leads that you have and not being able to finish it out, those are tough. It wears on the players, but we still have a lot in front of us.
“We’re playing a difficult schedule, and it doesn’t give you a lot of margin for error in winning and losing. We have things to play for in front of us, though it feels disappointing on a night like this.”
LSU led 6-5 with two outs in the top of the eighth when Davis launched a two-run homer to right field against LSU reliever Nate Ackenhausen. The Commodores added an insurance run in the ninth on an RBI single by designated hitter Camden Kozeal.
Vanderbilt reliever Ethan McElvain (1-1) earned the win, firing 3.1 scoreless innings with two hits, one walk and four strikeouts.
Ackenhausen (2-4) was charged with the loss as he allowed three runs on two hits in 2.1 innings with no walks and three strikeouts.
LSU was led at the plate by third baseman Tommy White, who smashed two homers and drove in three runs. White now has 11 homers on the year and raised his season batting average to .331.
Freshman leftfielder Ashton Larson collected three hits for the Tigers, including his second homer of the year, a solo shot in the third inning.
“It’s about getting over that hump,” Johnson said. “Not just hoping that we’re going to win, but somebody stepping up and executing when we need it.”
