“Selfish” is not a word that exists in the 2014 LSU baseball lineup’s vocabulary.
The term “small-ball” is often tossed around when players, coaches and the media chatter before practice or after games in Alex Box Stadium. The concept is simple: get a runner to first base, then use either a hit-and-run or a bunt to methodically move him around the diamond to manufacture runs.
It was a formula that his squad ran into a season ago when the Tigers battled UCLA in the opening round of the 2013 College World Series. The Bruins’ favored the small-ball style — UCLA had 76 sacrifice hits last season, the seventh most in the nation — and it catered well to the dimensions of TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb.
UCLA went on to win the College World Series.
Though he won’t admit it, it seems as though LSU coach Paul Mainieri learned from his postseason adversary.
Mainieri said the Tigers have bunted at a consistent rate in the past, but without players like Mason Katz and Raph Rhymes, the small ball game is likely more noticeable.
With that said, the numbers go against Mainieri’s claim.
The Tigers had 42 sacrifice hits last season, tied for 139th in the country. In 2014, LSU already has 31 sacrifice hits, and it’s only April 9.
“We work every day on bunting,” said junior catcher Kade Scivicque. “It’s something that we all take pride in, and we all try to help our team move up the runner and help the next guy.”
The strategy is one the squad has needed through the first four weekends of Southeastern Conference play.
LSU has scored more than four runs in a conference game only twice this season.
The Tigers have had to manufacture runs any way they can. LSU has scored a total 36 runs in SEC play, excluding its 17-4 blowout victory against Mississippi State last Sunday.
“Every time out, you can put your money on it that it’s going to be a one-run game,” said sophomore shortstop Alex Bregman. “We have to find ways as an offense to scratch a few across. We have to be able to bunt, we have to be able to hit-and-run and we have to able to hit in the clutch with two outs.”
Bregman said the squad works on specific bunting drills before every contest.
The only LSU starter who hasn’t recorded a sacrifice hit is senior outfielder Sean McMullen, who has had limited opportunities to move runners from the leadoff spot in the lineup.
LSU hitting coach Javi Sanchez, who helps the hitters with their daily bunting drills, said he doesn’t think the Tigers’ offense is built around the small-ball mentality, though.
“It’s more situational hitting, like being able to advance a hitter, get a bunt down or execute a hit-and-run,” Sanchez said. “That’s what we’re kind of seeing more out of our offense. It’s not so much a small-ball brand of baseball. It’s just being able to execute timely hitting in critical situations.”
“Every time out, you can put you money on it that it’s going to be a one-run game. We have to find ways as an offense to scratch a few across. We have to be able to bunt, we have to be able to hit-and-run and we have to be able to hit in the clutch with two outs.”