LSU vs. Purdue - Fort Wayne Feb. 15th Recap
Bryce Duhon • February 15, 2025
78°. Cloudy. A brisk wind towards centerfield. This was the recipe for another dominant performance by the LSU Fighting Tigers on Saturday. After a 14-0 shutout on Friday of Purdue - Fort Wayne, the #2 ranked Tigers found their way to a Saturday W by routing the Mastodons 10-1. Rocking the beloved all-white with pinstripes, LSU sent 11,000 fans home happy as they move to 2-0 on the season.
UC - San Diego transfer Anthony Eyanson got the nod on the mound. The 6’2 right-handed junior didn’t have the fastest start to the game, hitting one batter in the 1st, and allowing two hits in the 2nd. However, he also showed why Jay Johnson brought him to Baton Rouge. His fastball lived in the mid-90’s, and he was able to get out of multiple jams. While he didn’t peform at the same level Kade Anderson did on Friday, he still heavily impressed in his first start in a Tiger uniform. In all, Eyanson saw 5.0 innings, struck out 6, allowed 4 hits, and no walks. In relief, junior Connor Benge came out firing. Going 1 and 2/3 innings, the Dallas Baptist transfer struck out three and walked one on base. He was relieved by sophomore DJ Primeaux. Primeaux was lights out in his season debut, striking out three batters before handing the ball to freshman Mavrick Rizy. The new man on campus made it look effortless, closing out the game with three quick outs, including 2 K’s and securing the win for LSU.
At the plate, the Tigers continued their Friday onslaught. Utah Valley transfer and starting 2B Daniel Dickinson gave the Tigers their first home run of the season in the 1st inning, bringing home Bear Jones who walked the previous at-bat. After that, it wouldn’t be until the 5th inning that LSU would score again. However, they more than made up for that scoring drought. Back-to-back homers by Derek Curiel and Jared Jones brought across three runs for the home team. The hits continued as Ethan Frey started off the 6th with a single. Josh Pearson walked right after, and Michael Braswell brought Pearson across with an RBI double. The Tigers added on two runs in the 7th after PFW pitching fell apart, walking one home and allowing another run on a wild pitch. Ashton Larson pinch hit for Braswell, and hit a 2-RBI single through the middle of the infield to give LSU back-to-back days of double digit runs. Plate vision was the story as LSU walked 7 times, not including their 4 times hit by pitch, and didn’t go down on strikes until the 5th inning.
The Tigers transfer class came to play to start the season, which is all you can ask for their first weekend in Alex Box. Between Eyanson and Benge’s powerful performances as well as Dickinson’s early homer, you can tell Jay Johnson and his staff were intentional in the portal. Even Auburn transfer Chris Stanfield got in on the action, showing off his next-level speed beating out a grounder to the shortstop in the 5th and stealing a bag in the 7th.
As for the freshmen, Derek Curiel showed why he was hailed as the Preseason SEC Freshman of the Year. A 2-out homer sparked some life into the Tigers and elicited a huge reaction from Alex Box. He had expectations coming into this year, and he met them on Saturday.
The 2-0 Tigers will finish their series with the Mastodons on Sunday. Look for Chase Shores to take the mound and for the Tigers continue with their bats on fire.
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NOLA Gold Rugby returns to the Shrine on Airline this Saturday, June 7, for an end-of-season showdown against the New England Free Jacks. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM CT, with gates opening at 5:00 PM. Saturday’s match is the final home match of the season. Don’t miss your chance to cheer on NOLA Gold one last time in 2025 as they battle for a win and finish strong in front of the home crowd! The Free Jacks bring a well-balanced attack and disciplined defense, but NOLA is determined to defend home turf and feed off the energy of the Gold faithful. Expect an intense matchup for the end of the season. Fans can look forward to live music, food, and an electric game-night atmosphere unique to New Orleans rugby. The match will be broadcast live on the Gulf Coast Sports and Entertainment Network (Cox Cable Channel 10) and streamed on ESPN+. Follow live updates, exclusive content, and player features across NOLA Gold Rugby’s social media platforms and official website. Tickets for the match and ticket packages are available now at nolagoldrugby.com or by calling 504-507-8429 (504-50-RUGBY). Matchday tickets start at just $25.