Thanks to a stellar start from pitcher Gage Jump, LSU cruised to a dominant 9-1 victory over No. 11 nationally ranked Georgia in the single elimination round of the SEC Tournament, guaranteeing at least two more games in Hoover this weekend.
The win was massive for LSU’s NCAA Tournament chances, which look much better with a 37th victory on the year and a 14th in the SEC — this one over a team that’s in the thick of contention to be a regional host. The bats were hot early and stayed hot, but it was Jump’s work on the mound that was a constant throughout.
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All told, on just five days of rest, Jump provided seven full innings on the mound and allowed just one earned run to a potent Bulldog batting order. After the game, he jumped on with the SEC Network to discuss his incredible effort.
“Must-win game,” Jump said of the win, detailing what in specific was working for him Tuesday morning. “Getting ahead and then being able to land the curveball — I think that helped setup the slider and then I mixed in some changeups. But getting ahead and throwing strikes, then the defense really saved me today.”
Tiger head coach Jay Johnson heaped the praise on Gage Jump in his own postgame interview with the SEC Network.
“He’s one of the best pitchers in the country. A lot of people don’t know him because he’d only thrown 14 innings in college prior to this season, because of his injury. But he’s one of the best pitchers in college baseball and he showed that today,” stated Johnson, noting how impressive it was by Jump to throw so well against UGA.
“What a performance to take that lineup and do what he did. There’s probably only five pitchers that could do that and Gage is one of them.”
Jump himself had mentioned the help he got from the LSU fielders, who really stepped up against Georgia. Specifically, it was third baseman Tommy White who turned in a whale of a performance in just about every aspect of the game, but really came up huge defensively.
White made a slew of great outs on Tuesday. He barehanded a grounder and rifled it over to first to barely get an out. Then, when future top MLB draft choice Charlie Condon came up to bat, he zinged the ball right to White who dipped down and caught it on the fly next to the third base line. And on another play, he sprinted and called off the pitcher to make a catch on a popped-up foul ball.
That’s the sort of tape White will show to MLB scouts, and when asked about his progress as a defender, he admitted it was no fluke based on his training regiment.
“Yeah, so my goal once I got healthy was just to get quicker over there and just to be lighter on my feet,” said White. “And just reps, as many reps as possible to get ready for the season. I think I’ve achieved that and I’m a little bit lighter on my feet and move a little bit better. So yeah, I’m just trying to get better every single day over there.”
He certainly got better against Georgia, showcasing an ability to make plays in all sorts of ways over by that third bag. Whether it’s White’s fielding heroics, or Jump’s heat on the mound, LSU coach Jay Johnson added that his team is finding their stride at the right time.
“I think you’re seeing one of the best teams in the country when you watch LSU play,” said Johnson, explaining how this group has come together.
“When you got Gage Jump, Luke Coleman on the mound. You got Tommy White, a great lineup, that’s found its way. It’s a lot of new players who’ve found their way now, and we believe we have a very sustainable brand of baseball that we’ve been playing in the last 20 games, which is as good as anyone in the country.”
To the rest of the SEC: Beware, and don’t let the reigning champs stay hot.
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