Coming into Wednesday night’s game against the University of New Orleans, the LSU baseball team had given up 61 runs during its five-game losing skid.
But it was stiff LSU pitching and a stiff 13 mph north wind that helped the Tigers halt their longest losing streak since 2000 by defeating UNO 7-2 in Alex Box Stadium.
Senior Chris Cahill, freshman Ryan Byrd and juniors Edgar Ramirez and Jonathan Wilhite collectively allowed four hits and two runs, the fewest runs LSU has allowed since April 9 at Tennessee.
Cahill started the game for LSU and went 5 and 1/3 innings, allowing no runs and no hits.
The senior right-hander carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but right fielder Michael Epping laid down a bunt single down the first baseline for the Privateers’ first hit of the night.
“I worked my slider in when I really needed to, and my change up was there when I really needed it too,” Cahill said. “I usually have great confidence in [my fastball], but my other two breaking pitches were there pretty much all night.”
Coach Smoke Laval said the Tigers were fortunate to have the wind blowing in to help them limit UNO’s offense.
“If the wind is not blowing in, we give up a ton more,” Laval said.
Offensively, the Tigers wasted no time and scored four runs on six singles in the first frame.
Senior left fielder Bruce Sprowl and sophomore shortstop Michael Hollander led the game off with singles followed by a walk delivered to senior right fielder Quinn Stewart.
Freshman J.T. Wise followed Stewart and earned his 32nd and 33rd RBIs of the season on a single to left center.
After Stewart was put out trying to steal home, sophomore designated hitter Jordan Mayer singled to left centerfield past UNO diving shortstop David Broussard to score Wise.
Freshman second baseman Jason Ogata followed with another single. Mayer scored the fourth run of the game on senior third baseman Will Harris’ sacrifice fly to right field.
“That were some big four runs that we scored,” Mayer said. “It kind of got UNO on their heels a little bit and got the momentum on our side, which is big going into the start of the game.”
Despite scoring four runs in the first inning, Laval said he was not happy with the team’s overall offensive play in the game.
“Six hits in the first inning and then we get three in the eighth – what the heck happened in between?” Laval said.
The Tigers added another run in the fifth inning to take a 5-0 lead into the seventh when the Privateers cut into the deficit.
Byrd walked the first two hitters of the seventh frame and gave way to Ramirez, who immediately gave up a single to Mike Constantino to load the bases for UNO.
Ramirez responded by striking out the next two hitters but allowed a two-RBI single to UNO left-fielder Jason Schwab to trim LSU’s lead to 5-2, but the Privateers would not get any closer.
The Tigers added two more runs in the eighth inning to end the game’s scoring.
This weekend LSU opens up a three-game series at home against Arkansas.
 
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