Aaron Nola saved his best for last.
In a career littered with school records and mesmerizing Friday night performances, the Catholic High product toed the rubber in a Saturday afternoon tilt with Alabama rescheduled due to rain.
Through eight innings he was flawless, retiring 15 straight hitters to start the game and only scattering four singles to a potent Alabama lineup that came in batting .282.
Holding a tenuous 2-0 lead in the ninth, LSU coach Paul Maineiri considered pulling Nola in favor of senior closer Joe Broussard.
“He’s pitching in the heat and in the middle of the day,” Mainieri thought. “Maybe his tank is running on empty.”
When he brought the idea to Nola in the dugout, the often reserved, soft-spoken right hander fired back, looking directly into Mainieri’s eyes.
“I’m going to be mad if you take me out,” Nola told him. “Put me back out there, I can finish it. I know I can do it.”
Nola ran roughshod over the top of the Alabama order in the ninth, adding his ninth strikeout of the day to give him 322 on his LSU career, and finishing his first complete game of the season in the final regular season home start of his career.
Behind Nola on the mound, the Tigers took game one of a day-night doubleheader, 2-0. Game two is slated to begin at 7 p.m. with freshman Alden Cartwright on the mound for LSU.
Nola stymied the Tide all afternoon, carrying a perfect game into the sixth before Alabama left fielder Casey Hughston ripped a leadoff single back up the middle for the first Crimson Tide baserunner of the afternoon.
“It’s impossible to put into words the greatness of Aaron Nola,” Mainieri said. “What an unbelievable privilege it is to have that kid in this program and watch him pitch. I’ve never seen anything like him.”
Facing Alabama ace Spencer Turnbull, the Tigers (36-13-1, 14-10-1, Southeastern Conference) were limited offensively, but used a bit of luck and clutch hitting in the second and fourth to scratch across a pair of runs.
Tiger freshman left fielder Jake Fraley sent a screamer up the middle in the second that caromed off the bag at second, bouncing into shallow right field for a double.
“I hit it really well,” Fraley said. “Once I saw it bounce off, [first base coach] Alex Edward was telling me to go. I already had it set in my mind.”
After junior Conner Hale fouled out to the catcher, sophomore Tyler Moore blooped a two-out single to shallow left field that fell in between the shortstop and left fielder. Running on contact, Fraley made it home easily to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Fraley drew a walk with one out in the fourth and advanced to second on a hit-and-run grounder from Hale. Turnbull issued another walk to Moore, bringing up freshman first baseman Danny Zardon.
Zardon, making his first start of the season at first base, ripped an RBI double just inside the foul line in left, scoring Fraley with ease. Moore also tried to score on the hit, but was gunned down from left field.
With Nola on the bump, Moore’s out wouldn’t matter.
Alabama had baserunners in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Only one advanced a base. Nola racked up four of his nine strikeouts in the final four innings, including back-to-back punchouts after Hughston broke up his perfect game.
After reassuring Mainieri he could finish the job, Nola cruised into the ninth, attempting to control his emotions.
“I needed to take some deep breaths,” Nola said. “Calm myself down. Today was definitely the hardest ninth inning and last out I’ve had at [LSU].”
He induced a grounder to third, fanned Alabama’s two-hole hitter Georgie Salem and got Ben Moore to fly out to right.
Pegged as a top-10 pick in June’s MLB Draft, Nola has confirmed he won’t return for his senior season at LSU. Mainieri said Saturday he’s sure he’ll be the quickest selection in this season’s draft to reach the big leagues.
But on Saturday, the projections and talk didn’t matter for Nola. Mobbed by a group of close to 30 family members and friends after the game, Nola savored every minute on the grass.
“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Nola said. “Pitching in the daytime in front of all these fans. The last out of the game as probably most memorable.”
“I’m definitely going to miss this place.”