Rock Around Round Rock, Pt. 2: Iowa Preview

LSU looks to go 2-0 in a test game against Iowa.

LSU will look to stay undefeated when they face off against Iowa at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas in day two of the Karbach Round Rock Classic.

The Tigers (5-0) are coming off a 7-3 win over Kansas State. Paul Skenes and Ty Floyd threw a combined 16 strikeouts in the victory. Skenes finished with 11 strikeouts and allowed two hits and one earned run in six innings pitched. Floyd finished with five strikeouts and allowed two hits and one earned run.

Second baseman Gavin Dugas carried his hot bat in yesterday’s game, going 2-for-4 at the plate and recorded a RBI. Dugas has a batting average of .643 (9-for-14) and has recorded two home runs and four RBIs.

Dylan Crews also played well on Friday as he went 2-for-4 at the plate and recorded an RBI as well. Crews has a batting average of .429 (6-for-14), three RBIs and a homer.

Junior first baseman Tre Morgan and freshman designated hitter Jared Jones have been RBI machines for the Tigers. Morgan is first with 10 RBIs, while Jones is in second with 8.

Morgan achieved eight of his 10 RBIs during Tuesday’s game vs. Southern, which is the game he recorded a cycle. He was the first LSU baseball player to record a cycle since Mikie Mahtook did it against Alcorn State on April 6, 2010.

Jones, a true freshman with great potential, hit a crucial two-run double in the seventh inning against Kansas State that extended LSU’s lead to 7-2.

Iowa’s Pitching Staff

Iowa will trounce out its sophomore wunderkind Brody Brecht as Saturday’s starter. Brecht, who is also a scholarship member of the football team as a wide receiver, was a Freshman All-American a year ago. He posted 10 strikeouts through five perfect innings in his last appearance in Iowa’s 7-1 win over Quinnipiac.

Iowa also has a very good bullpen that is ready to come in for Brecht when his pitch count has hit its mark..

Lefty junior reliever Jared Simpson will most likely be the first one out of the bull pen to go to the mound because of the match-up he brings to LSU’s batting lineup. Simpson has struck out seven batters in four innings pitched and has a 0.00 ERA right now.

Another reliever that Iowa could call upon is Zach Voelker. Voelker, the Long Beach State transfer, has recorded six strikeouts in just four innings.

What the Hawkeyes Bring to the Plate

Iowa is a very good hitting team, but they are the exact opposite of LSU because they do not necessarily have a power hitter on their team.

Iowa center fielder Kyle Huckstorf leads his team in RBIs with six and has been the Hawkeyes’ best hitter so far. He has batted .357 (5-for-14) at the plate.

Utility/designated hitter Anthony Keaton was the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year last year and he is only the second Hawkeye to win the award. Anthony has batted .286 at the plate (4-for-14) and has recorded a homer and a RBI.

Brennan Dorighi has been awesome for Iowa ever since he transferred from Wofford this season. The former All-Southern Conference first baseman has recorded a .308 batting average (4-for-13) and has recorded a homer.

Huckstorf, Keaton and Dorighi all have a slugging percentage of .571.

LSU Projected Starting Lineup

1B Tre Morgan

2B Gavin Dugas

SS Jordan Thompson

3B Ben Nippolt/Tommy White

RF Paxton Kling

CF Dylan Crews

LF Brayden Jobert

C Brady Neal

DH Jared Jones

Iowa

1B Tyler Davis

2B Easton Loyd

SS Myles Jefferson

3B Justin Wishkowski

LF Lane Brewster

CF Joe Redfield

RF Clayton Chadwick

C Walker Janek

Projected Pitching Matchup

LSU – Jr. LH Riley Cooper (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.1 IP, 2 BB, 7 SO)

Iowa – So. RH Brady Brecht (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 0 BB, 10 SO)