For 8th-ranked LSU (4-0), Wednesday’s contest may have just been another road game. But for the SLU Lions (2-2), their record-setting crowd was ready to roar.
“It was a lot of fun out here,” starting pitcher Cody Glenn said. “Southeastern brought a good crowd, and they were letting me have it.”
“I have a lot of respect for Southeastern Louisiana’s program, I have for many years,” said LSU head coach Paul Mainieri. “You can throw out the career records, they play us tough all the time.”
A hostile road environment could be tough for any pitcher, much less one making their season debut. But junior lefty Cody Glenn weathered the storm on the mound, allowing just a 1.5 ERA in 5 innings.
“It was a good first start for me. Anytime you get a win you feel pretty good about yourself,” Glenn said.
Head coach Paul Mainieri noticed Glenn’s performance as well.
“The thing I liked about Cody was he didn’t get flustered and he didn’t get frustrated. He just kept making good pitches,” Mainieri said.
Though currently a midweek starter, Glenn has the chance to re-prove his worth for a weekend starting spot, and he’s not taking it lightly.
“It’s definitely a goal as a starter, so I’m just gonna improve on what I need to improve on and have a good game against (University of Louisiana at Lafayette) on Tuesday,” Glenn said.
Even with Glenn’s solid outing, LSU was only tied with SLU 2-2 for much of the game. But it was a bizarre turn of events in the top of the 6th that gave LSU the lead for the rest of the game. Coach Mainieri did his best to explain the situation.
“What happened was the bases were loaded and the ball got away from the catcher, so (Mark Laird) scored from 3rd. (Then) the catcher picked up the ball because it was wet and he threw it in the dugout as though to get a new ball,” Mainieri said. “But you have to get a timeout first. Players can’t call a timeout, umpires are the only ones that can give a timeout.”
The play allowed LSU to score Laird and Alex Bregman, giving themselves a 2-run lead they would never relinquish. But Mainieri knows on the road, a win is a win, no matter how it is accomplished.
“It’s a bizarre play, but it worked out for us,” Mainieri said.