Floyd sees improvement in sophomore season

♦ The former Rockmart standout closes his second season at LSU in NCAA regional tournament

LSU baseball’s season came to a close in the first week of June, and with it, closed the book on Rockmart native Ty Floyd’s sophomore campaign.

The second-year pitcher greatly improved his numbers in Baton Rouge in 2022, proving himself as one of the best up-and-coming pitchers in the Southeastern Conference.

After going 1-2 at the SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, Alabama, the 21st-ranked LSU Tigers were named the no. 2 seed in the Hattiesburg Regional, hosted by No. 14 Southern Miss.

In their first game of the Regional on June 3, LSU mounted a big comeback against the three-seed Kennesaw State Owls. The Atlantic-Sun Champions led 11-4 entering the bottom of the eighth, but a ten-run inning by the Tigers propelled LSU to an improbable 14-11 triumph.

Floyd earned the first postseason start of his collegiate career the next night. The former Yellow Jacket looked phenomenal against the host Golden Eagles, going six innings and allowing four earned runs on six hits and zero walks. Floyd struck out seven Southern Miss batters in the outing.

His solid start helped Louisiana State stay in the game and force extras, wherein the visitors from the Pelican State took a 7-6 victory.

Following two quick wins in Hattiesburg, LSU found themselves just nine solid innings away from a trip to the Super Regionals. In their third game of the tournament on June 5, however, it was not meant to be. Southern Miss, who stymied off elimination with a 4-3 win over Kennesaw State earlier that afternoon, downed the Tigers 8-4 to force a winner-take-all showdown on June 6.

During that game, Floyd sat in the dugout and cheered on his teammates who ultimately would come up short. LSU allowed a run in the top of the ninth inning to Southern Miss and could not match it, falling 8-7 to end their season.

Despite a heartbreaking finish to his sophomore year, the 2022 season should be remembered as a success for not only the Tigers, but for Floyd himself.

The 2020 Rockmart High School graduate started 10 games for LSU and compiled a 5-4 record. Floyd finished with a 3.77 ERA, down from the 4.44 mark he posted as a freshman. He tallied 70 strikeouts and gave up just 25 earned runs in 59 2/3 innings.

After a strong second year with LSU, in which the Tigers finished 40-22 with a 17-13 conference mark, Floyd should be viewed as one of the most feared arms in the league entering next season.