1 week Ago
LSU pitcher Conner Ware (55) delivers a pitch against Mississippi State in the second inning on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save For the first time all season, LSU made a change in its rotation last week. Instead of starting redshirt sophomore right-hander Chase Shores , LSU turned to junior left-hander Conner Ware on April 19 in its series finale against Alabama.
"Coach Johnson told me at like 10:45 a.m. that I was going to start," Ware said.
"So I was kind of thankful for that. Didn't have a lot of time to think about it." The move was a surprise, especially since Shores was listed as the probable starter earlier in the week and had started in every series finale leading up to the matchup.
"I just felt like to hold them down as best we could," LSU coach Jay Johnson said after that game, "we just were going to need more guys." Johnson's decision indicates the third weekend starting spot is up for grabs, a reality that was reemphasized on Thursday when Johnson announced that he would not declare a Sunday starter before this weekend's series with Tennessee. "I'm just just very grateful to have that opportunity last week," Ware said.
"And if they trust me enough to give me the ball again, then I'd be happy to." Ware and Shores are the favorites to earn the nod again Sunday. Shores has struggled in a number of starts, but he's also showed signs of reaching his potential in outings against Oklahoma, North Alabama, Omaha and Purdue-Fort Wayne.
Despite having a 5.44 ERA, Shores was the No. 1 recruit in Texas, according to Perfect Game, for a reason.
"I'm very comfortable starting him. I have been for, whatever, 10 weeks in a row," Johnson said April 19. "So that didn't change.
This was a little bit of a, 'Hey, how do we get through tonight (without) your two best guys out of the pen?' " Given the matchup, Ware has a strong case to get the ball first for a second consecutive week. Tennessee started five left-handed hitters and a switch hitter during Friday night's game. The Volunteers also had at least four lefty bats in their starting lineup in each of their four games leading up to this weekend's series.
Two of their best hitters, second baseman Gavin Kilen and first baseman Andrew Fischer, are left-handed. Before this weekend, Kilen was batting .412 and had an .
843 slugging percentage, while Fischer leads the team in home runs with 16. Most of Alabama's top hitters last week were left-handed. It was a reason Johnson pointed to when asked why he started Ware instead of Shores.
"Major hat tip to Kade Snell, their No. 3 hitter, left-hander," Johnson said on his radio show Monday. "He's one of the best players that we have seen this year.
He's a fifth-year senior and what I would call a classic SEC physical left-handed hitter that could drive the ball and hurt you with a home run, but stays on the ball with two strikes." Other candidates to start Sunday include freshman right-hander William Schmidt and redshirt sophomore right-hander Jaden Noot. They are the only other Tigers who have started a game besides Ware, Shores, junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson and sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson.
But Shores and Ware should be the favorites to take the ball first in what will be a crucial matchup against the Volunteers. Noot and Schmidt have yet to make a start in Southeastern Conference play. "I think every kid's dream is to play in a big SEC series like this," Ware said.
"Big schools going at it. Yeah, it's exciting.".
