The cross-town traffic may have been the only problem LSU faced when it travelled to Lee-Hines Field to face Southern. Tigers (17-10) freshman pitcher Austin Ross provided a strong pitching performance and erased an early deficit to win 8-3. LSU recorded its second win against the Jaguars this season. The Tigers won a Feb. 26 game, 6-1. The freshman pitcher entered the game in the second inning after starting pitcher Louis Coleman struggled in the first inning. “The story of the game was Austin Ross,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We had to do something to change the momentum of the game. I’m proud and happy that he played well.” Coleman struggled in his one inning of work allowing three runs on four hits. “The mound was part of his problem,” Mainieri said. “He had two inches of clay stuck to the bottom of his feet on some of those pitches. The mound was treacherous.” LSU took an early lead in the first inning when sophomore left fielder Blake Dean hit a sacrifice fly that scored junior third baseman Derek Helenihi and made the score 1-0. Southern tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a single by freshman first baseman Charles Hall. The Jaguars took the lead when the next batter, junior right fielder Brad McDavid, hit a sacrifice fly that scored sophomore left fielder James Armstrong, bringing the score to 2-1. Southern senior center fielder Torey Brown’s RBI single later that inning added another run to Southern’s lead and brought the score to 3-1. The Tigers held the Jaguars scoreless for the remainder of the game. Ross pitched seven innings in a relief appearance and gave up no runs on four hits while striking out eight batters and walking only one. “I was ready,” Ross said. “You always have to be ready so it won’t be a surprise when you go in. I told myself to throw strikes and good things will happen.” LSU retaliated in the top of the second inning when a triple from freshman centerfielder Leon Landry allowed sophomore designated hitter Jared Mitchell to cross home plate and shave the Jaguar lead to one run, 3-2. An RBI single by freshman shortstop DJ LeMahieu allowed Landry to score and knotted the score at 3-3. LSU took the lead for good later that same inning when sophomore second baseman Ryan Schimpf hit a single that allowed Lemahieu to score, pushing the score to 4-3 in favor of LSU. “I’m happy we came right back after that three-run inning by Southern,” Mainieri said. “The kids hung in there.” The Tigers added more runs in the fourth inning when a Southern throwing error allowed Landry and LeMahieu to score. Freshman catcher Micah Gibbs scored from third base for a 7-3 advantage on a groundout by freshman right fielder Johnny Dishon. Dishon scored on a wild pitch in the sixth inning and increased LSU’s lead to 8-3. The Tigers will face Centenary tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Alex Box. Junior pitcher Ryan Verdugo is scheduled to get the start.
—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]