THURSDAY’S GAME: LSU 2, Oklahoma 0

FRIDAY’S GAME: 6:30 p.m. / SECN+ (streaming)

 

LSU’s ace trumped his Oklahoma counterpart Thursday night.

Sophomore lefthander Kade Anderson limited the Sooners to five hits and threw the Tigers’ first complete-game shutout in seven years to lead LSU to a 2-0 win over Oklahoma in the opening game of the Southeastern Conference series.

Anderson (6-0) struck out a career-high 14 in the first complete game by a Tiger since Paul Skenes allowed two runs in beating Tulane in the 2023 NCAA regional tournament.

It was LSU’s first complete-game for a shut out since AJ Labas against Lamar in 2018.

“Kade just hit another gear tonight,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “That was literally the definition of getting better as the game goes along.

“He was pitching with great tempo and getting ahead in the count more as the game went along. I didn’t think their hitters were seeing him very well.”

The No. 7 Tigers improved to 28-3, 8-2 in the SEC, while No. 10 Oklahoma fell to 23-6, 5-5.

The series continues at 6:30 p.m. Friday, although the start time could change with the possibility of inclement weather in Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma starter Kyle Witherspoon (5-2) got the first two outs of the third inning before Derek Curiel doubled and then scored on Jared Jones’ single for the game’s first run.

The Tigers got another run in the fifth when Luis Hernandez led off with a double and scored on Chris Stanfield’s double.

That was all Anderson needed.

His  toughest inning was the first when the Sooners loaded the bases with one out — but he struck out back-to-back hitters to get out of it.

Only two other runners reached second base against him. And after OU’s Sam Christiansen doubled to lead off the seventh, Anderson retired the last 12 batters he faced to finish the game.

He allowed five hits and walked two in by far the longest outing of his career — the previous high was 6 1/3 innings.

He’d never thrown more than 101 pitches in a game but threw 135 Thursday — 95 for strikes.

“He was getting stronger, he was well-conditioned for it,” Johnson said of leaving Anderson in. “Leaving him in the game was one of the easiest decisions we’ve had in a tight game this year.”

It could pay dividends for the rest of the series as it saved both of the Tigers’ star relievers for the remaining two games.

The Tigers’ bullpen has been shaky all season after Zac Cowan (2-0, 1.07 ERA, three saves) and freshman Casan Evans (1-0, 0.90, five saves).

LSU will start righthander Anthony Eyanson (4-0, 3.52) against Oklahoma lefthander Cade Crossland (1-1, 6.66).