Jay Johnson explains LSU’s decision to use Casan Evans on Friday

LSU baseball lost the second game of three games to Florida 11-1 on Friday. This solidifies a series loss to the Gators. On both sides of the ball, the Tigers struggled.

After Friday’s game, head coach Jay Johnson explained the decision to start Casan Evans in relief for nearly two innings.

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“It was always planned for him to throw tonight, about 40 pitches, two innings,” Johnson said. “I thought his stuff looked good. [I] I thought he made some really good changes, which is a signature for him.”

After Thursday’s loss, Johnson said neither Evans nor fellow weekend starter William Schmidt would see the bump. He clarified Friday that neither would start against the Gators, but he didn’t mean Evans wasn’t available.

Evans went 1.2 innings in relief Friday. He gave up three runs on a home run and allowed two hits while collecting two strikeouts. Johnson confirmed that Schmidt will not play in the regular season finale on Saturday, but that he and Evans will be available for the SEC Tournament.

Here’s what Johnson said about the two starting pitchers after Thursday’s game.

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“I make these decisions all the time,” Johnson said. “Do I like not having William Schmidt and Casan Evans against Florida? No. I hate it. It makes me sick to my stomach.”

Johnson knows LSU’s only path to the NCAA Tournament is to win the SEC. With that in mind, LSU is saving its balls for Hoover, rather than emptying the tank in the final series of the regular season.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU’s Jay Johnson explains why LSU used Casan Evans in Game 2 against Florida.