LSU baseball wins Astros Foundation Classic, headlined by win over Texas Longhorns

When the bus pulled into Houston, LSU baseball coaches and players knew the Houston Astros Foundation Classic was arguably going to be the team's biggest test in nonconference play this season.

A matchup with No. 14 Texas headlined the slate of three tough games against three teams that have made the NCAA Tournament at least once the past two seasons. Louisiana and Texas State, from the Sun Belt Conference, have made three combined NCAA regionals the last two years.

The No. 2 Tigers (11-1) went a perfect 3-0 on the weekend inside Minute Maid Park and, by runs allowed differential, won the Astros Foundation Classic championship over Vanderbilt, who also went undefeated. LSU allowed 12 runs while the Commodores surrendered 16 runs.

LSU defeated Texas, 6-3, Friday, held off a ninth-inning rally to beat the Ragin' Cajuns, 5-4 Saturday before downing Texas State, 10-5, Sunday afternoon.

Here are three takeaways from the three big wins in Houston for the Tigers:

Luke Holman is LSU baseball's Friday night ace

As I projected in the preseason, Jay Johnson shouldn't look any further than Luke Holman to be the team's Friday night starter once SEC play arrives.

He filled the role at Alabama last season and pitched well, winning seven games for the Crimson Tide.

And all the 6-4 right-handed junior has done through three weeks this season is pitch the lights outs, including his start against the Longhorns in Houston. Holman (3-0) navigated 5⅔ innings, striking out 12 while surrendering three hits and one walk on 91 pitches against a stout Texas lineup.

Holman leads the pitching staff with 30 Ks.

Has Paxton Kling locked up the leadoff spot in LSU's lineup?

Johnson has been noncommittal on if his lineup is set in the early going this season. In the College World Series deciding Game 3 last season against Florida, he had designated hitter Cade Beloso hit leadoff, something he hadn't done all year.

Through 12 games this season, four different batters have batted at the top of the Tigers' order but centerfielder Paxton Kling has seemingly locked down the leadoff spot, hitting there in six straight games.

Over this current stretch, Kling has batted 5-for-21 scoring eight runs with eight RBIs. The sophomore struggled in Houston, going 2-for-15 at the plate with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Will Johnson continue to give freshman Steven Milam a look at leadoff or Mac Bingham?

Tigers winning tight games is good to see

Naturally, fans would prefer not to sweat games out. And LSU was certainly not sweating through many of its 12 games thus far.

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But it was good to see the Tigers deliver in a tight situation. Against Louisiana on Saturday night, the Cajuns' Jose Torres cranked a solo homer in the top of the ninth to pull within one run.

LSU reliever Justin Loer didn't fold, even after giving up a base hit immediately following the home run with two outs. With the Cajuns having the go-ahead run at the plate, Loer struck out John Taylor to earn his first save on the season after going 2⅓ innings giving up the two hits and one run while striking out four.

While he got off to a bit of slow start, Loer appears to rounding into form after a weeklong rest window and will be a factor at long reliever moving forward for LSU.

Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.