The No. 2 LSU baseball team notched its second win against Princeton in as many games with a 7-2 victory in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader in Alex Box Stadium.
It was the sixth consecutive win for LSU (9-1), which has outscored its opponents 50-21 since falling to Nicholls State, 6-3, Feb. 18.
After losing to LSU by just one run Friday, Princeton (0-2) couldn’t manufacture enough runs to threaten LSU on Saturday, stranding 11 runners and seven in scoring position in the afternoon game.
LSU freshman pitcher Jake Godfrey (2-0) picked up his second win in three starts. The right-hander lasted a career-best 5.2 innings, giving up six hits and two unearned runs, both of which came in the second inning.
The rookie pitcher also struck out three batters and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. Godfrey’s counterpart, Princeton junior pitcher Luke Strieber (0-1), didn’t last nearly as long, surrendering five runs on three hits and three walks in two innings of work.
But LSU sophomore outfielder Jake Fraley was the star of Saturday’s afternoon game, batting 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a pair of triples. Fraley also scored two runs, one of which came after a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the second.
Junior outfielder Mark Laird put LSU on the board with an RBI single up the gap in the first inning that gave the home team a 1-0 lead after one.
But the Ivy-Leaguers answered back in the second inning.
After consecutive walks by Godfrey and a fielding error by LSU third baseman Danny Zardon to load the bases, Princeton sophomore infielder Chad Powers ripped a single to left field to score two runs and give the visitors a 2-1 lead after 1 and ½ innings.
Fraley reclaimed the lead for good in LSU’s next at-bat when he emptied the bases with a three-run triple, his second of the afternoon. LSU added two more insurance runs in the third and fifth innings.
Freshman pitcher Alex Lange (2-0) will look to give LSU its third consecutive weekend series sweep when he takes the mound against Princeton junior Keelan Smithers in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, which will begin at 7:30 p.m.