Following a comeback victory on Saturday night, LSU (14-2) strung together an efficient performance in every facet Sunday to defeat Purdue, 7-3, and complete the three-game sweep in the Tigers’ final weekend of non conference play.
Sunday’s finale against the Boilermakers (1-10) marked the fifth-straight day in which LSU played a game, proving to be both a physical and mental test for the program.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri was forced to make a number of key decisions regarding his bullpen and starting lineup, and the reserve players delivered to propel the squad to a five-game winning streak.
“Everybody worried about [playing five straight days], but I was looking forward to it,” Mainieri said. “I thought it was a silver lining because the game of baseball is the type of sport that you have to play a lot. If you play every day for five days in a row, then I felt what would happen is the players would get a lot of at-bats and become more comfortable in the batter’s box.”
On Saturday night, LSU took seven innings to find its stroke at the plate.
For Sunday’s contest, Mainieri’s team turned to a small-ball approach to get the Tigers’ offense rolling more quickly.
After senior left fielder Sean McMullen led off the first inning with an infield single, sophomores Mark Laird and Alex Bregman laid down consecutive bunt base hits, loading the bases for junior second baseman Conner Hale.
It was an uncanny series of events for a program known for its “Gorilla Ball” approach in the tiny dimensions of Alex Box Stadium. LSU has been renowned for its power bats throughout the lineup in years past.
“Coming into the last game of the series, you want to jump on top quick and make the other team kind of get down on themselves,” Laird said. “What we’re trying to do lately is implement getting ahead early. Our pitching has been fairly good through these past five games, so we just get a little lead and they’re going to hold them off.”
Hale followed the bunts with an RBI single to left field, then sophomore center fielder Andrew Stevenson plated the second LSU run on a sacrifice fly.
Sophomore catcher Chris Chinea added another run on an RBI double to right field in the bottom of the fourth, and one inning later, the Tigers’ offense pulled away for good.
With two runners on and no outs, Hale hit an RBI ground out, junior designated hitter Kade Scivicque roped an RBI single and Stevenson hit an RBI triple to right field.
The triple extended Stevenson’s hitting streak to 14 games and raised his season average to .432.
“[Stevenson has] completely been a spark plug for us,” Bregman said. “I think he’s been on base every single time he gets up. He just starts innings, and he also finishes them. He brings so much to our team, and he’s a real big leader out there.”
On the mound, junior left-hander Cody Glenn only lasted four innings, giving up two runs on four hits and recording only two strikeouts.
LSU led the Boilermakers 2-0 in the top of the second before Glenn allowed a two-run home run off the bat of Purdue senior first baseman Conner Hudnall.
“It was a four-seam fastball that was supposed to be outside, and I left it right down the middle,” Glenn said. “You just learn to forget about things like that and continue battling and continue doing what you know you can do and trust your pitches.”
Overall, Bregman said the five-game winning streak showed how much talent is on the LSU roster.
“We have a ton of depth in our bullpen and position player-wise,” Bregman said. “I’ve been really pleased with it, and I think that’s a big thing for us for the entire season. We have a lot more depth than even I thought we had [before the season].”
“Coming into the last game of the series, you want to jump on top quick and make the other team kind of get down on themselves. What we’re trying to do lately is implement getting ahead early.”
LSU junior left-handed pitcher Cody Glenn (24) pitches Sunday, Mar. 9, 2014 during the Tigers' 7-3 victory against Purdue.
