Tulane Green Wave 🏈 NFL Draft: Who Will Be Selected Tulane had a strong 2025 season (AAC title and playoff appearance), continuing its recent NFL pipeline (e.g., past draftees like Tyjae Spears, Michael Pratt, Caleb Ransaw). Projections generally point to late-round or UDFA territory, based on production, physical traits, transfers bringing experience, and Pro Day workouts (held March 24, 2026, at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center with 25 NFL teams present). Here are the top prospects and why they stand out (drawn from scouting notes, stats, and honors): OT Derrick Graham (6’4”, 314 lbs): Multi-year starter with experience at Troy (early freshman contributor with elite pass-block efficiency) before transferring to Tulane. Earned First/Second/Preseason All-AAC honors and helped anchor a top conference offense. Prototypical size, strength, and technique for the NFL; met with teams at Pro Day. Strongest late-round candidate among the group. DE Kameron Hamilton (6’4”, ~292 lbs, Zachary, LA native): Four-year Tulane contributor (switched from high school OL to edge). Career totals include 12 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and consistent production (career-high 3 sacks + 29 tackles in 2025). Excellent frame and leverage for an edge rusher/DL; long-tenured starter under multiple coaches. Fits as a rotational pass-rush specialist. LB Maurice “Mo” Westmoreland (6’2”, 250 lbs): Transfer from UTEP (two-time All-Conference USA). Explosive prior stats: 7.5 sacks + 9.5 TFLs + FF in 2024; similar sack production in 2023. Limited to 5 games in 2025 due to injury (still had 3 sacks + INT), but size, athleticism, and proven pass-rush ability outweigh that. Could project as an EDGE/LB hybrid. QB Jake Retzlaff: BYU transfer who became Tulane’s dual-threat QB1 in 2025. Strong stats: 3,168 pass yards + 15 TD / 7 INT, plus 634 rush yards + 16 rushing TDs (school record; first Tulane QB to lead team in rushing). Athletic playmaker who thrives under pressure. Size (6’1”, 205 lbs) is a concern, but production and mobility give him a shot as a developmental QB or gadget player (late/UDFA range; participated in Hula Bowl + Pro Day throwing session). OL Jack Hollifield (6’4”, ~300 lbs): Versatile interior lineman/center (transfers from Virginia Tech/Appalachian State). Started 11 games at App State in 2024 (0 sacks allowed, All-Sun Belt Second Team); Preseason All-AAC Third Team at Tulane. Meets NFL physical thresholds and has proven run/pass blocking reliability. Other notable Pro Day participants with UDFA upside (could earn camp invites based on testing/drills): OL Jordan Hall (6’4”, 310 lbs) – experienced interior depth. SS Bailey Despanie – longest-tenured Green Wave player; box strong safety with great run support. CB Isaiah “Zay” Wadsworth (transfer from Wofford) – athletic background (ex-QB/WR). LB Sam Howard, WR Tre Shackelford, TE Johnny Pascuzzi, DB KC Eziomume, and former players like LB Mandel Eugene/DL Angelo Anderson. Overall: Tulane’s OL and front-seven talent (Graham, Hamilton, Westmoreland, Hollifield) align well with NFL needs for size and production at the G5 level. Retzlaff’s unique skill set adds intrigue. Exact outcomes depend on how Pro Day measurables, medicals, and interviews landed, scout turnout was lighter than prior years, so many are fighting for UDFA spots. Keep an eye on draft updates for any late selections or signings. Make sure to follow Patrick Harkness on X #RollWave
The first two days of the draft have gone by, and while some fan bases are still trying to comprehend their teams’ plans, the Saints have been pretty straightforward with theirs. The Saints have embraced the fact that they are “not one player away” — Mickey Loomis. They entered this draft with eight total picks and needs at almost every position group outside of quarterback. While many expected the Saints to be aggressive and make trades, this belief is reasonable because it’s something they’ve done with a high level of consistency for more than a decade. However, the Saints and their staff took a patient approach and allowed the draft to come to them. And not just come to them, but they drafted positions that many knew were needs, yet weren’t anticipating the Saints to value at the time of selection. The Saints drafted Jordyn Tyson in Round 1 with the eighth overall pick. In the next two rounds, they selected two Georgia Bulldog teammates. First, Christen Miller, an interior defensive lineman, with the forty-second overall pick. Then in the third round, they picked Oscar Delp with the seventy-third overall pick. On the surface, these are not picks that will set the internet on fire. These are not headline-grabbing selections, but for the Saints, these are franchise-forward moves. The additions of Miller and Delp strengthen position groups the Saints have struggled to build over the past five years. Consistency along the interior defensive front is one of the main reasons the Saints have gone from one of the best run defenses in the league to one of the worst. Additionally, having a consistent, well-rounded tight end who can put his hand in the dirt and block, while also possessing the ability to split out wide, run routes, and catch passes, is something that has been missing since Jared Cook and Drew Brees walked off the field together after losing to the Bucs in the playoffs. Many were expecting the Saints to select a defensive back, which is a reasonable expectation considering the need there, and possibly another running back. But the selections made on the second day of the draft show just how committed they are to fully completing this roster by taking their time and adding young players who have proven success at high levels but still possess upside and room for development. With Day 3 of the draft now here, Saints fans should expect the same approach — being patient and striking when it’s most advantageous for the team. Do not be worried. There is still plenty of high-level talent remaining on the board, and the Saints have done nothing but earn more confidence that they will select the best players available for the position groups they feel need to be addressed. A guy like Keionte Scott would be a good fit in Brandon Staley’s defense. Mike Washington is still available if they want to add more youth to the running back room. There is also Pat Coogan, the senior leader of the offensive line for the National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, who would be another solid late-round addition for needed depth along the offensive line. The process for the Saints has been clear: get younger, get more explosive, and build around Tyler Shough. The approach has been great, and while many may see this draft class as average, this could end up being another 2017 class — and that draft class was a pass interference call away from playing in another Super Bowl. Make sure to follow Anthony Parker on X
With the 42nd pick in the draft, the New Orleans Saints picked defensive tackle Christen Miller out of Georgia. Christen Miller is a big defensive tackle prospect, measuring in at 6’4 and 320 pounds, who will make an impact on early downs against the run while he continues to grow as a pass rusher. The Saints have a strong need for young talent at the defensive tackle position with veterans Nathan Shepard and Davon Gochaux entering free agency after the upcoming season. Miller looks to be the latest of recent impact defenders to come out of Georgia as they have produced NFL talents like Mykell Williams, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and others. Then, with the 73rd pick, the Saints went back to Georgia to select the 6’5 245 pound tight end, Oscar Delp. Delp is an intriguing prospect because his athleticism is elite, and he comes into the league known more for his blocking rather than his pass catching ability. But when he did catch passes, there was a good chance he was about to have a highlight-level play. There is a growing belief that Georgia has a hard time maximizing their pass-catching talent based on recent success from NFL talents like Ladd McConkey, George Pickens, and others. So it would not surprise me in the slightest if Delp looks like a much better player in a different environment more conducive to his success. Delp will bring balance to the tight end room to give a much needed blocking presence which should allow him to get on the field and show he can contribute in the passing game to get more snaps. So far, the Saints have addressed wide receiver, defensive tackle, and tight end. All in all, I would say it’s been a good draft for them thus far. They have been able to address key spots on offense and defense. Look for them to be active on day three as they have multiple fourth and fifth round picks to either pick with or navigate the draft board with. I believe they’ll continue to take a balanced approach to addressing each side of the ball the rest of the way, with the goal of adding much needed depth to the roster. Day three becomes a bit more of a wildcard day, so I won’t be doing a key names to look out for this go around. Alright, one more day to go, talk to you all again tomorrow to recap day three and the draft as a whole. Make sure to follow Kaden Arkeder on X.
Well, the wait is over, we got to open our present Saints fans. Jordyn Tyson is a New Orleans Saint. Hard to quantify just how badly the Saints needed to add impactful young talent to the wide receiver room, and Tyson immediately helps fix the problem. Jordyn Tyson, when healthy, is the best receiver in this draft, the talent was always undeniable, there are not many receivers who come out who are as well-rounded as he is. Tyson brings route running, size, speed, and ball skills to the receiver room who will help take some pressure off everyone else on offense with his presence on the field. Jordyn Tyson gives Tyler Shough another legit pass catcher to aid in his own development this upcoming season as well as offer some insurance in case of Chris Olave missing time from injury. But now the risk of selecting Jordyn Tyson. Tyson was injured every year of his collegiate career with time missed due to knee, clavicle, and hamstring injuries. The other criticism of Tyson has been his ability to be more physical at the catch point and after the catch. Using the eighth overall pick on him is definitely a risk given the injury history but the Saints felt the talent was too great at a position of need to pass up. Personally, I think the Saints got this pick right. Projecting ahead, I believe the Saints will be able to add more young talent at key positions which line up as strengths of the draft class. By addressing receiver first, they eliminated their number one need and gives them more flexibility heading into day two to address the other side of the ball. The defense could use some reinforcements after moving on from Demario Davis and Alontae Taylor earlier in the offseason, and the potential departure of Cameron Jordan. Looking forward to day two of the draft, I believe the two positions to keep in mind are defensive line and defensive back. Both of those positions are needs for the Saints but also strengths of this draft class. So look for the Saints to target those positions on day two, and if they don’t, then for them to look at them again early on day three. If the Saints do look to continue to add to the offensive side of the ball I can see them adding to offensive skill positions and interior offensive line to gain better depth in those areas. Some key names to look for on Day 2 : Edge - TJ Parker from Clemson Nose Tackle - Kayden McDonald from Ohio State Nose Tackle - Dominique Orange from Iowa State Nose Tackle - Darrell Jackson Jr from Florida State Edge - Zion Young from Missouri Cornerback - Jerrod McCoy from Tennessee Cornerback - Colton Hood from Tennessee Cornerback - D’Angelo Ponds from Indiana Edge - R Mason Thomas from Oklahoma Edge - Joshua Josephs from Tennessee Defensive Tackle - Christen Miller from Georgia Nickel/Safety - Treydan Stukes from Arizona Safety - Emanuel McNeil-Warren from Toledo Nickel/Safety - Jalon Kilgore from South Carolina Offensive Guard - Chase Bisontis from Texas A&M Offensive Guard - Emanuel Pregnon from Oregon Tight End - Max Klare from Ohio State Tight End - Sam Roush from Stanford Tight End - Oscar Delp from Georgia Offensive Center - Connor Lew from Auburn Offensive Center - Jake Slaughter from Florida Wide Receiver - Chris Bell from Louisville Wide Receiver - Zachariah Branch from Georgia Wide Receiver - De’Zhaun Stribling from Ole Miss Wide Receiver - Ted Hurst from Georgia State Running back - Mike Washington Jr. from Arkansas Running back - Kaytron Allen from Penn State Running back - Jonah Coleman from Washington Okay, I think I covered all the bases here. Talk to you all next time to recap day two! Kaden Arkeder @KArkeder
It’s the night before the draft, and you’re scrolling on X to see what all the NFL insiders and draft analysts have to say about your team. Trying to find any clues about who is going where and what the latest rumor is that could be the biggest surprise of Thursday night. The NFL Draft is one of the few times during the year when every fan has some level of hope and optimism in their team. The draft is a three-day event where it can make or break a franchise to where you can be set up for a Super Bowl contention or be stuck in the doldrums. This year, Saints fans get to have some hope and optimism after how well the 2025 NFL Draft went. Kelvin Banks and Tyler Shough headline their draft class, which showed great promise for the Saints moving forward. Now it is on Mickey Loomis, Jeff Ireland, and company to keep the momentum going and have back-to-back successful drafts. Something they haven’t been able to really do in almost ten years now. But pressure isn’t new to Mickey Loomis, the man is not fazed by the likes of you or me posting online how poor of a job he’s done. No, the man simply chews his gum into a microphone defiantly with the confidence knowing that when his back is against the wall, he can capture lightning in a bottle. Mickey did it for the 06’ draft as well as the 17’ draft. The 2025 draft doesn’t appear to be quite like those, however, getting a starting Quarterback in the second round might help make a case, but that’s beside the point. The Saints don’t need to shoot for the moon with the 2026 NFL Draft, they aren’t one player away, which Mickey confirmed today in his annual pre-draft interview. All the Saints have to do is draft good football players and not get cute. Which I know is putting it way too simply, and is easier said than done. But I don’t want the Saints to get trigger-happy and make a costly trade that backfires on them à la Trevor Penning or Marcus Davenport. If a trade opportunity comes along that they deem is reasonable, then by all means, I hope they take advantage, but just make sure you’re not the ones being taken advantage of. The Saints might have already done the hardest part by finding a QB, so now they can do the fun part of the roster building. I’ll admit there is some nervousness as a Saints fan about the draft and rightfully so, but as I type this out, the Saints are in a spot where they can’t really go wrong with their first pick in the draft. All the players being mocked to them can and should help the team in a major way as a rookie. They could go with a dynamic wide receiver like Jordyn Tyson or Carnell Tate, a do-it-all safety like Caleb Downs, a productive edge rusher like Ruben Bain, or maybe even trade up for a cyborg-like linebacker in Arvell Reese. The Saints have plenty of options, and all of them should be quality options. So now the question is, who is going to be the Saints fans’ present Thursday evening? We don’t have to wait much longer to find out. Merry Draftmas, everyone.
Sunday Afternoon Recap For the first time since 2021, LSU has been swept in back-to-back series. It was the third uncompetitive game from the Tigers, falling behind early and failing to ever punch back. It’s a shame, because we actually saw one of the best pitching performances of the season by Deven Sheerin. He was phenomenal, but by the time he entered the game, the damage was already done. Zac Cowan made the start, which was what a lot of folks hoped for, but Texas A&M’s offense was just too good, even for him. The wind was blowing hard and straight in, making it a tough offensive day in Alex Box. That did not matter, though, as the Aggies blasted two homeruns. Jay Johnson told me after the game that the wind conditions actually plated a factor in the decision to start Cowan, so it was a tough blow watching that gameplan go down the drain. Offensively, the LSU lineup continued to be anemic. Aggie starter Weston Moss entered with an ERA of 6.69, yet the Tigers couldn’t touch him. They struck out another 11 times, drawing only 4 walks. For the weekend, that’s 29 strikeouts while only drawing 7 walks. On Sunday, they were 2-16 with runners on base and went 0-7 with runners in scoring position. That formula isn’t good enough to beat anyone in the SEC, much less a top team like Texas A&M. Pitching Even Zac Cowan wasn’t immune to this dangerous Aggie lineup. After a leadoff groundout, Caden Sorrell hit a line drive homerun that just got high enough to get in to the Diamond Deck. That swing put Texas A&M on the scoreboard first for the third time in the series. Despite following with a walk, the senior was able to get a strikeout and another ground out to limit the early damage to 1-0. Cowan allowed a leadoff walk to start the 2nd. A groundout moved the runner to 2nd, then yet another wild pitch moved him to 3rd, setting up a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 before a flyout ended the inning. Back for the 3rd, the Aggies got their leadoff man on base, again. After a flyout, Chris Hacopian ripped a 2-run homerun and LSU was down 4-0. Following a groundout and a walk, Cowan’s day was done. Final line: 2.2 IP / 3 hits / 4 runs / 1 K / 3 BB / 60 pitches (37 strikes, 62%) Likely way earlier than he hoped, Jay Johnson had to call upon Deven Sheerin to record the final out of the 3rd. He came in and struck out Terrence Kiel II looking. In the 4th, he found himself in a good bit of trouble after a leadoff strikeout. Three consecutive singles extended the lead to 5-0 and had two runners still on base. Sheerin then struck out both Sorrell and Hacopian to stop the bleeding. It wasn’t until the 5th inning that the Aggies were kept off of the scoreboard, going 3-up, 3-down with a couple of strikeouts. He did the same in the 6th, striking out another two. His 7th inning was his final inning and it was another 1-2-3 frame, extending his streak of 11-straight Aggies retired to finish his outing. Final line: 4.1 IP / 3 hits / 1 run / 9 K / 0 BB / 61 pitches (47 strikes, 77%) Santiago Garcia took over for the 8th and walked the leadoff hitter. He locked in after that, going strikeout, flyout, strikeout. That was his only inning of work. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 2 K / 1 BB / 16 pitches (11 strikes, 69%) After the Tigers finally found the scoreboard to make it a 5-2 game, Gavin Guidry took the mound for the 9th. After starting 2-0 to Bear Harrison, he battled back to start with a strikeout and then followed with another. An error on Tanner Reaves was the first of the weekend for LSU and after Grahovac stole 2nd, Jay chose to intentionally walk Sorrell. Guidry was able to record a flyout to center to keep the deficit at 5-2 heading to their final 3 outs. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 2 K / 1 int BB / 20 pitches (13 strikes, 65%) Hitting Cade Arrambide blasted his 10th homerun of the season, the second Tiger to reach double digits in 2026. It came in the 8th inning to break the Aggies shutout. He finished 1-5, but had a good weekend and now hold the second highest batting average on the team at .311. Derek Curiel finished 1-3 with a walk. His base hit came directly after Arrambide’s homerun and he eventually came around to score on a wild pitch for the Tigers second and final run of the game. Steven Milam, Jake Brown, Omar Serna, John Pearson, and Eddie Yamin each finished with one hit. Up Next LSU will stay at home for a midweek battle with UNO on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30. The Privateers sit with a 17-25 record and are also struggling in their conference play with a record of 7-14. With the Tigers season entering dire moments, Tuesday is not only a must-win, but it feels like a must that they play well and find some momentum to take to Starkville next weekend for a 3-game series with the Bulldogs. A loss on Friday would mark only the second time in LSU baseball history that they lose 7 consecutive games. Follow me on X for much more @DCBilliotJr
Saturday Evening Recap Despite the uncompetitive loss in game 1. Despite Jay Johnson’s post-game comments about the roster. Despite his comments about the competitiveness. Despite the fact that this team in running out of runway to finally take off, they came out flat, yet again, and got dominated by Texas A&M to clinch the series. LSU fell to 6-11 in SEC play, having lost 5 consecutive conference games. Three of those losses are by 5+ runs, meaning it was smooth sailing for their opponents. Weekend pitching had been the Tigers “best” aspect for the first 5 weeks of the SEC schedule, but it has failed them through two games so far. William Schmidt had his worst outing of the season, getting pummeled by the potent Aggies lineup for 7 runs through 5.1 innings pitched and getting credited with the loss to drop his record to 4-4 in 2026. The bullpen was solid, holding Texas A&M scoreless for the final 3.2 innings of the game, but with the lack of offensive support, it was too little, too late. As bad as the offense seemed at times in game 1, they found a way to get worse in game 2. Mustering only 5 hits, LSU only reached base 7 times, including the 2 walks. They’ve now struck out 18 times this weekend, while only drawing 3 walks. That’s just another example of how the lineup is so far away from looking like a Jay Johnson lineup, they’ve become unrecognizable. They hit .161 as a team on Saturday night, including a .111 average with runners on base. Mason Braun was the only Tiger to reach 2nd base safely the entire night. It’s just not good enough. Pitching William Schmidt got off to a great start, quickly disposing of one of the best 1-2-3s in the country with Grahovac, Sorrell, and Hacopian. It only took 12 pitches to record a strikeout and two flyouts. That quickly went down the drain in the 2nd, as Texas A&M picked up right where they left off last night with scoring 2-out runs. The inning went flyout, infield single, flyout to start, when Jorian Wilson followed his two homerun game last night with an RBI single to start the scoring. Bear Harrison followed with a 2-run homerun and just like that, the Aggies were up 3-0. A lineout would end the inning. Things didn’t get a whole lot better in the 3rd, as Schmidt allowed a leadoff homerun to Grahovac, followed by a single, double, and sacrifice fly and it was a 5-1 game. The sophomore was able to pitch around traffic to prevent any further damage. He finally got back on track in the 4th with a 3-up, 3-down inning, but the Aggies weren’t held scoreless for much longer. A leadoff double in the 5th, followed by a wild pitch, set up a sacrifice fly that extended their lead to 6-1. Back-to-back strikeouts would get the Tigers off of the field, but the whole was getting deeper and deeper with their struggling offense. Schmidt’s day would end in the 6th. After recording a flyout to start the inning, the then walked the bases loaded and with his 105 pitches, Jay Johnson came out to get him. Final line: 5.1 IP / 7 hits / 7 runs / 4 K / 4 BB / 105 pitches (60 strikes, 57%) Connor Benge came out for his normal task of trying to put out a fire, but a weak ground ball through the open side of the infield with the Tigers shifted led to an RBI single to make it a 7-2 game and that would be the only batter he faced. Final line: 0.0 IP / 1 hit / 0 runs / 0 K / 0 BB / 3 pitches (2 strikes, 67%) Cooper Williams entered for a lefty-lefty matchup against Sorrell and struck him out for his only batter faced. Final line: 0.1 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 1 K / 0 BB / 6 pitches (4 strikes, 67%) With 2 outs and the bases loaded, Zion Theophilus entered and recorded a groundout to end the inning. He returned for the 7th and despite allowing a leadoff single, he was able to record a strikeout and a flyout before his day came to an end. Final line: 1.0 IP / 1 hit / 0 runs / 1 K / 0 BB / 11 pitches (7 strikes, 64%) After a fantastic outing last night, Jay called upon Danny Lachenmayer took over with 2 outs and recorded a groundout to end the inning. He did not return for the 8th. Final line: 0.1 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 0 K / 0 BB / 5 pitches (3 strikes, 60%) It was Marcos Paz taking over in the 8th and as he has in his first inning of work many times this year, he cruised. He went 1-2-3 with a flyout, a strikeout, and a weak groundball. His troubles have come in his second innings back out on the mound and that somewhat held true, but he was able to pitch through it. He struck out Sorrell to start the inning, then allowed a walk and a single. That’s where he locked in and got his third strikeout and a groundout to escape with no damage. The freshman continues to boast tremendous promise as he matures throughout his first season. So much so that Jay Johnson gushed about him in his post-game presser, saying that he believes Paz “will eventually be the best pitcher in the program.” Final line: 2.0 IP / 1 hit / 0 runs / 3 K / 1 BB / 42 pitches (25 strikes, 60%) Hitting Steven Milam recorded his second game in a row with multiple hits, including another homerun. This one was from the left side off of Aiden Sims, a bomb that landed under the auxiliary scoreboard in right-center. The star shortstop has quietly raised his average up to .284, 4th among regular starters. He finished the night 2-4. Omar Serna, Chris Stanfield, and Derek Curiel each had a single. Serna finished 1-2 with a walk, Stanfield went 1-3 with an RBI, and Curiel was 1-4. Up Next LSU and Texas A&M will wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon with game 3. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm central and presents a pitching matchup of TBA from each team. Despite how bad this series has gone for the Tigers, they are set up well with their top arms for tomorrow. Zac Cowan, Deven Sheerin, Gavin Guidry, and Santiago Garcia have each yet to throw this weekend. The availability of Cooper Moore may also play a large factor. If Moore does pitch, I expect him to start the game in a very limited capacity. Despite potentially being unavailable to record more than 3-6 outs, it would be beneficial for him to get back in to a starter’s routine before, hopefully, fully returning next weekend. If Moore doesn’t pitch, my best estimation would be Cowan to start the game. As for the Aggies, RHP Weston Moss could be a potential candidate. He has started 8 games on the weekend this season, so it would make sense. His record is 3-2 with a 6.69 ERA through 36.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 35 and walked 13 and holds a WHIP of 1.58. Tomorrow is a must-win for LSU. Semantics say that it’s never a must-win until the season is on the line, but the season gets more and more on the line with every loss. A second consecutive sweep would be catastrophic for this team, especially considering their remaining schedule. It’s been a waiting game for this team to finally click, so time will tell if that ever actually happens. Follow me on X for much more @DCBilliotJr
Friday Night Recap It was groundhog’s day again at Alex Box on Friday night, as LSU lost their 4th straight SEC game in the series opener to Texas A&M. Their night consisted of a lot of the same issues that have plagued them throughout this dreadful season. Casan Evans was off to a fantastic start through 4 innings, but the wheels eventually fell off and the Tigers were doing what they’ve had to do for most of their 16 SEC games so far. Play from behind. They fell behind 1-0, but were able to answer and tie the game. Unfortunately, Evans left the game with the team down 6-2 and the game was essentially over at that point. One of the biggest talking points of this team’s pitching this year as been being one out away. Often, it’s just one pitch away from getting out of an inning without sustaining damage. Time and time again, they’ve been unable to get off of the field and it continued in game 1. Speaking of old issues continuing on Friday night, the inability to get a big 2-out hit that has plagued this lineup for most of the season, was again on full display. They’ve constantly let pitchers off of the hook and that’s what happened multiple times tonight. They left a runner on 3rd base in 3 of the first 5 innings, which simultaneously led to them falling behind as they often have. Going 1-8 with runners in scoring position is not going to win you many ball games, much less against an offensive team like Texas A&M. Despite two good performances in the middle of the lineup, it was the top of the order that let the Tigers down. Spots #1-#3 combined to go 3-15. Many of the at bats were uncompetitive, but that’s nothing new for this offense. Pitching Casan Evans showed up ready to roll on Friday evening. He struck out Gavin Grahovac on 3 pitches to start the game, on his way to striking out the side, despite a 2-out single up the middle. It was a quick 1-2-3 in the 2nd, including another strikeout and nice slow-roller play by John Pearson at 3rd base. Trouble began in the 3rd, as Evans walked 8-hole hitter Bear Harrison to lead off the inning, followed by a bloop single that put runners on 1st and 3rd with no outs. He followed up his 3-pitch strikeout of Grahovac with another 3-pitch strikeout for a big first out of the inning. Caden Sorrell then chopped a ground ball to Mason Braun at 1st base, but it took too long to get to the freshman, allowing the runner at 3rd to score as Braun stepped on the base for the second out. Another ground out to Pearson ended the inning, but only allowing a run after the situation Evans found himself in was a slight win. He bounced back in the 4th, striking out another two to bring his total to 7, pitching around a 2-out walk. He issued another leadoff walk to Harrison in the 5th, who’s .265 batting average was the lowest in the Aggies starting lineup. A strikeout and a flyout put him in position to nullify it, but Texas A&M rattled off three straight singles and just like that, LSU was down 4-1. A groundout would finally end a 30-pitch inning for the Tiger ace. Despite the gruel of a 5th inning, Evans returned for the 6th. He gave up a leadoff single on his 101st pitch of the night, but Jay Johnson chose to stick with him and it ended up being for too long. Freshman Jorian Wilson blasted a 2-run homerun so far out of the stadium that Derek Curiel barely moved. Despite the good first 4 innings, the wheels fell off for Evans and that would be all for him. Final line: 5.0 IP / 7 hits / 6 runs / 8 Ks / 3 BBs / 103 pitches (68 strikes, 66%) After starting the past two Sundays, it was Grant Fontenot as first out of the bullpen for the Tigers. He got off to a fantastic start, striking out the first two hitters that he faced. Grahovac then stepped to the plate having a pretty rough night, but hit another Aggie bomb to right-center for make it 7-2. After a walk, Fontenot would record a flyout to end the second consecutive 3-run inning for Texas A&M. He would not return after that. Final line: 1.0 IP / 1 hits / 1 runs / 2 Ks / 1 BB / 13 pitches (8 strikes, 62%) Danny Lachenmayer took over for the 7th looking to bounce back from some recent struggles. He had hit his only batter-faced in his previous 3 outings going back to game 3 at Tennessee. Tonight, he was very good. Aside from a 1-out single, the lefty struck out the side in his only inning of work. Final line: 1.0 IP / 1 hit / 0 runs / 3 Ks / 0 BB / 18 pitches (13 strikes, 72%) Connor Benge took over for the 8th to start with a clean inning, something he typically doesn’t see. He’s normally put in to put out fires and he’s been pretty good the past few weeks. He was great tonight, striking out the first two batters faced and then getting Grahovac down to a 1-2 count. Benge threw a very good slider that had him fooled, but the Aggie 1st baseman was able to throw his barrel at the ball to make soft contact and find open grass. Jay pulled him with a lefty coming up to bat, but it was another good performance for the right-handed flamethrower. Final line: 0.2 IP / 1 hit / 1 run / 2 Ks / 0 BBs / 14 pitches (10 strikes, 71%) With the left-handed hitting Sorrell coming up, Jay went to Ethan Plog for the matchup. After starting him 1-2, Plog threw 3 straight balls to allow the walk and that was it for him. Final line: 0.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 0 Ks / 1 BB / 6 pitches (2 strikes, 33%) With runners on 1st and 2nd and 2 outs, Jay went to Mavrick Rizy. On the second pitch, A&M 2nd baseman Chris Hacopian took a fastball to his face in what was a very scary moment. He had to leave the game with trainers. That loaded the bases and the very next pitch went to the backstop, bringing home the 8th Aggie run of the night. Rizy would eventually walk that hitter, before finally recording the final out with a groundout to Steven Milam. Rizy would not return after that. Final line: 0.1 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 0 Ks / 1 BBs / 1 HBP / 14 pitches (6 strikes, 43%) It was Reagan Ricken on the mound for the 9th after LSU had scored 2 runs in the 8th to make it a 8-4 game. Just 4 pitches in to the inning, the Aggies were back up by 6 runs after a double and Wilson’s second homerun of the game. Ricken then walked the next hitter on 4 pitches and Jay was out of the dugout to pull him from the game before the batter even got to 1st base. Final line: 0.0 IP / 2 hits / 2 runs / 0 Ks / 1 BB / 9 pitches (4 strikes, 44%) Jaden Noot has been seldom used this year, but he was called upon in the 9th. He came in and did his job, recording back to back groundouts and a pop out with an intentional walk in-between. Final line: 1.0 IP / 0 hits / 0 runs / 0 Ks / 1 int walk / 10 pitches (8 strikes, 80%) Hitting Cade Arrambide has been on fire going back to that 4 homerun game at Tennessee and he turned in another great night tonight. At DH, he went 3-4 with an RBI and a run scored. The RBI was a 2-out hit, which many of you know that Jay refers to as a “golden”, because that’s how valuable they are. Two of his singles were to the opposite field, which is great to see. So much of this lineup is pull-heavy this year, which is something Jay talked about in his post game press conference. Steven Milam delivered the only other multi-hit game for the Tigers. Both of his hits were extra base hits, including a solo homerun that tied the game at 1-1 in the 4th inning. He finished 2-4 with a double, as well. Derek Curiel, Chris Stanfield, Jake Brown, Omar Serna, and John Pearson each recorded a single hit. Pearson drew the only walk of the night for the Tiger lineup, while also providing one of the other two RBIs, along with Serna. Up Next LSU and Texas A&M will return tomorrow for game 2 with an adjusted first pitch. Originally scheduled for 7 pm, it has been moved up to 4:30 pm central with the threat of rain looming tomorrow night. The loss now drops the Tigers to 6-10 in conference play, while the Aggies improved to 10-5. William Schmidt will take the mound with his 4-3 record, holding a 3.22 ERA through 44.2 innings pitched. He’s struck out 63 while walking 18 batters. Texas A&M will counter with sophomore Aiden Sims, who Jay referred to as their best pitcher on the post-game radio show. Sims holds a record of 6-0 with an ERA of 3.56 through 48.0 innings pitched, while striking out 51 and walking 15. The Tigers are starting to enter must-win territory with their resume status and while losing either of the next two games doesn’t end their season, it’s going to get exponentially harder as they continue to dig themselves a deeper hole. Follow me on X for much more @DCBilliotJr
