A&M Vs. LSU: Who Will Win the Baseball Game?

It’s time for another exciting matchup between SEC rivals LSU and Texas A&M! Who will come out on top in this highly anticipated baseball game?

A&M’s Pitching Rotation

#1 Starter: Cole McDonald

Cole McDonald will get the start for the Aggies on Friday night. The junior right-hander has been A&M’s best pitcher this season, posting a 7-2 record and a 3.23 ERA in 16 starts. He’s struck out 134 batters in 103 innings pitched, while walking just 30. McDonald has been particularly dominant over his last three starts, surrendering just two earned runs in 21 innings pitched while striking out 27 batters.

#2 Starter: Christian Roa

Coach Rob Childress will be looking to his second starter, Christian Roa, to continue the Aggies’ momentum from their first game. The junior from San Antonio has been one of the most consistent pitchers on the team this season, posting a 3.38 ERA in 13 starts. He’ll be up against LSU’s #3 starter, Chase Costello, who has struggled a bit more with a 4.50 ERA in 16 starts. Costello did not fare well in his last outing against Texas A&M, giving up six runs (five earned) in four innings of work. Based on these numbers and their most recent performances, it would appear that the Aggies have the advantage in this matchup.

#3 Starter: Asa Lacy

Asa Lacy will most likely be the #3 starter for the game against LSU. The lefty has appeared in 13 games this season, starting 12 of them. He has a 5-4 record with a 4.42 ERA. Lacy has thrown one complete game this season, a shutout against Florida on April 6. In that game, he allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out 10 batters.

LSU’s Pitching Rotation

#1 Starter: Zack Hess

Hess, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound righty from Forest, Virginia, has been LSU’s Friday starter and best pitcher all season. In 14 starts, Hess is 7-2 with a 2.26 ERA. He has struck out 103 batters and walked just 19 in 95 innings pitched. Hess has only allowed more than two earned runs in a start three times all season. One of those came against Ole Miss when he still got the win after pitching six innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.

#2 Starter: Caleb Gilbert

LSU’s #2 starter for the game against A&M will be Caleb Gilbert. Gilbert is a junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is 6’2″ and weighs 195 pounds. Gilbert bats and throws right-handed.

Gilbert has pitched in 19 games for LSU in his career, starting seven of them. In those seven starts, he has a 4-1 record with 39 strikeouts and a 3.48 ERA. He has also appeared in two games in the 2017 College World Series, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing two earned runs.

#3 Starter: Ma’Khail Hilliard

Hilliard, a right-hander, will be making his 10th start of the season and his 19th appearance overall. He has pitched 56.2 innings on the year, compiling a 3-4 record with a 3.51 ERA, two complete games, and one shutout. In SEC play, Hilliard is 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 40 innings. He has made seven starts against SEC opponents, and has pitched into the seventh inning or later five times.

A&M’s Infield

A&M’s infield is looking very good this season. They have been hitting the ball well and making some great plays. LSU’s infield is also looking good, but they have not been hitting the ball as well as A&M. A&M’s infield will be the key to their success in this game.

#1 Baseman: Braden Shewmake

Shewmake is a redshirt sophomore from Texas and is batting cleanup for the Aggies. He is 6-4 and weighs in at 200 pounds. This season, he is batting .346 with 13 doubles, one triple, 10 home runs, and 45 RBI.

#2 Baseman: Michael Helman

Michael Helman is a lefty power bat in the middle of the A&M lineup. In 2018, he set career highs in home runs (9), RBI (50), and OPS (.849). Defensively, he has good range and a strong arm. He projects as a future major leaguer and will be one of the Aggies’ most important players in 2019.

#3 Baseman: Logan Foster

Logan Foster is a senior third baseman for the Aggies. He is a four-year starter who has hit .300 or better in three of his four seasons. This year, he is hitting .306 with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs. He was named first-team All-SEC last year after hitting .325 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs.

Shortstop: Austin Bost

Bost, a senior from Mississippi, has been a key player for the Aggies all season. He is batting .288 with four home runs and 32 RBIs. Bost is also a very good defensive shortstop, and he will be counted on to make some big plays in this game.

LSU’s Infield

The LSU Tigers have a strong infield this year. They are led by All-American shortstop Alex Bregman. Bregman is a consensus top-five draft pick and is one of the best players in the country. The Tigers also have a solid second baseman in Cole Freeman. Freeman is a good hitter and has a great glove. He should be able to handle the tough infield at A&M.

#1 Baseman: Daniel Cabrera

As a freshman, Cabrera played primarily as a designated hitter, but he found his niche at first base during his sophomore season. He started all but one game at first base as a junior and was named to the All-SEC second team. Cabrera is a three-time All-American and was the 2003 National Player of the Year. He is LSU’s all-time leader in home runs (56) and RBIs (234).

#2 Baseman: Hal Hughes

Redshirt sophomore Hal Hughes will man second base for the Tigers. The plan for Hughes, a former shortstop, was to play him at third and have him split time with Nick Coomes. But when Drew Mendoza elected not to come to LSU (he signed with the Yankees as a fourth-round Draft pick), that meant that Hughes would likely move back to his old position at shortstop. And when Josh Smith decided to return for his senior season after being drafted in the sixth round by the Dodgers, it meant that Hughes would move back to second base, where he played as a freshman.

#3 Baseman: Josh Smith

Josh Smith, a third baseman for LSU, enters the conference tournament batting .316 on the season. Smith has been a mainstay in the lineup, starting all 56 games for the Tigers. He has contributed 28 RBI and 19 runs scored while playing excellent defense at the hot corner. Look for Smith to provide some stability in the infield as LSU looks to make a run in the tournament.

Shortstop: Zach Watson

Shortstop: Zach Watson
Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185
Class: Freshman
Hometown: Shreveport, Louisiana
High School: Airline
Eligibility: Freshman

Watson was a highly touted recruit when he signed with LSU, and he has not disappointed thus far in his young career. As a freshman, Watson is batting .333 with two home runs and eight RBI. He has also stolen four bases in five attempts. Watson has been particularly hot of late, batting .385 (5-for-13) with a home run and five RBI in his last three games.

A&M’s Outfield

The game of baseball is decided by who has the best outfield. A&M has been renowned for their outstanding outfielders. In the past, A&M has had greats such as Kevin McReynolds and J.D. Drew. Currently, A&M’s outfield is anchored by superior talent including Nick Banks and George Janca. LSU’s outfield does not compare.

Left Fielder: J.B. Bukauskas

A&M’s J.B. Bukauskas will be the starting left fielder for the game against LSU. He is a senior and is batting .360 on the season. He has two home runs and fourteen RBIs. He is also a left-handed pitcher and has a 3.38 ERA with sixty-three strikeouts in fifty-one innings pitched.

Center Fielder: George Janca

George Janca will take the field as the center fielder for the Aggies. Janca is a junior who bats right-handed and throws right-handed. This season, he is batting .326 with 9 home runs and 41 RBIs. He has also stolen 15 bases. Janca has been an important part of the team’s offense this season, and he will be counted on to continue his good play against LSU.

Right Fielder: Zach DeLoach

Zach DeLoach has been a key player for the A&M baseball team this season. The sophomore from Sugar Land, TX is batting .308 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI. He has also stolen 14 bases. DeLoach will be a key player in the game against LSU.

LSU’s Outfield

LSU’s outfield is looking really good this season. They have a lot of speed and they’re very aggressive on the bases. They’re also very good at getting on base and scoring runs. I think they’re going to be a tough team to beat this year.

Left Fielder: Antoine Duplantis

Born and raised in Louisiana, Duplantis is one of the most celebrated baseball players in LSU history. He was a two-time SEC Player of the Year and helped lead the Tigers to two College World Series appearances. Duplantis was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2018 MLB Draft and made his Major League debut in 2019.

Center Fielder: Zachary Watson

Zachary Watson is a freshman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He bats and throws right-handed. As a true freshman in 2018, he played in 50 games with 39 starts in center field and one start as the designated hitter. He batted .247 (31-for-126) with seven doubles, one home run, 17 RBI, 21 runs and five stolen bases.

Right Fielder: Bryce Jordan

Bryce Jordan is a right fielder for LSU. He is a Junior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In 2015, he played in 37 games and had a batting average of .333. He also had 1 home run and 13 RBIs.