LSU is visitor for this game. Laird leads off with a ground out to short. Bregman strikes out swinging. The UH pitcher, Lemoine, touched 95 on his first pitch to AB. Fraley grounds out to second for a 1-2-3 first.
Nola whiffs the leadoff batter, hitting 93-95 with his first few fastballs. Strikes out the no.2 man on 3 pitches, called K. And gets the 3-hole batters swinging to K the side. Had to work for the last one....10 pitch at-bat. Scoreless after 1.
McMullen leads off 2nd with 1st pitch double to center..... Hale singles up the middle, McMullen scores! 1-0 Tigers! Moore flies out to left for first out, almost got over LF's head. Stevenson grounds to first...they get Hale at 2nd, but Stevenson safe, 2 down. Stevenson steals second.....then Ibarra walks on four pitches. Pitcher looks very concerned with Stevenson Coaching visit to the mound.....then Kramer Robertson grounds out, with a great diving stop by 3B Tigers up 1-0 going to bottom of 2nd
Cleanup hitter leads off with a bunt single. Ball hugged line all the way to 3rd base. 5-hole with slow roller to 2nd, no choice but to get him and let runner go to 2nd, one down. 8 pitch at-bat for 6-hole, he grounds out to first for second out, advances runner to 3rd. Next batter lines single to center to score runner, 1-1. Announcer: "If Stevenson couldn't get to that ball, it wasn't meant to be caught." Next batter runs count full, then lines it down right field line for single, runner to 3rd. Nola pitch count already a concern, coming up on 40. Walks the 9-hole, bases loaded. Dunn out for a visit..... And Nola gets the next batter on a foul out, Bregman hauls ass over to make the catch. 1-1 after 2 innings, Nola at 43 pitches already.
Laird runs count full and draws a walk to lead off third. Bregman flies out to deep center, Laird tags and goes to second. Fraley singles to left...runners on the corners, one out. And McMullen stays hot, singles to right to score Laird....2-1 Tigers, runners at 1st and 2nd for Hale.... hit and run fails...Fraley thrown out at 3rd, McMullen to 2nd, 2 outs. Blooper to center drops for Hale, McMullen scores! 3-1 Tigers, 2 rbi on night for Hale. Moore flies out to center to end inning, but a good long inning gives Nola some rest and a 2-run lead 3-1 Tigers.
Called strike 3 to ring up 1st out. 4 K's for Nola. Fly out to left-center for 2nd out...looked to be Stevenson's ball, but he lost it in the dusk, Fraley bailed him out. And next batter grounds out to 2nd...nice, quick 11-pitch inning for Nola. 3-1 Tigers after 3 innings.
To lead off the 4th, Stevenson with a base hit to right, stretches it to a double. Ibarra attempts a sac bunt, but its straight down in front of plate, catcher throws out Stevenson at 3rd, 1 out. Robertson ground ball to 2nd starts double play. Going to bottom of 4th, still 3-1 Tigers.
Nola k's the leadoff hitter, 5th strikeout. Bregman takes flyball behind 3B for second out.... and a ground out to Robertson to end the inning. Nola pitch count at 72 now...at this rate, he may have to come out around the 7th. Tigers up 3-1 through 4.
Laird grounds out to short to lead off 5th, nifty play on a funny hop by SS. Bregman draws walk on a full count. Fraley flies out to left, 2 down. McMullen strikes out swinging to end top 5. Skip Bertman has been in the ESPN booth throughout this inning.
