With LSU coach Paul Mainieri 90 feet away at third base and LSU football coach Les Miles six rows back in the stands, Tiger center fielder and football wide receiver Jared Mitchell said he knew the pressure was on to have a solid game. Mitchell responded by calmly hitting a third inning RBI double to give LSU (19-15-1) a 1-0 lead, which it would never relinquish in a 4-1 victory Wednesday night against Mississippi Valley State University (14-23). “It feels good to know that [Miles] is out here watching me, because it lets me know he cares,” Mitchell said. “It shows he wants to see me succeed, so I enjoy it a lot.” LSU was unable to get on the scoreboard early in the game off of starting Delta Devils pitcher Scott Reid, but the second time through the lineup the Tigers had success with three consecutive base hits to take a 3-0 third inning advantage. “The big thing for me that I am excited about that I have to mention is three, two-out RBI hits in a row,” Mainieri said. “I don’t think we have seen that all year.” LSU freshman starting pitcher Matt Jackson pitched two scoreless innings for the Tigers while only allowing three hits. Seven Tiger relievers combined to give up just one run in seven innings out of the bullpen. Mainieri said LSU used so many pitchers to use some players who had not pitched in a few weeks. Sophomore Louis Coleman struck out the side in the sixth inning, his first appearance with a new sidearm delivery. “I’ve said all along that Louis was a great kid that competes real hard, and has good stuff, but for whatever reason hitters just get good looks at his pitches,” Mainieri said. “I’ve really felt sorry for the kid because he is trying so hard.” Sophomore third baseman Chris Jackson opened up the LSU lead in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double. Mississippi Valley State sophomore pitcher Anthony Edwards avoided a big inning by inducing Mitchell to fly out to the right to end the inning. The Delta Devils got on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth when junior infielder Sean Bard ripped a line drive off sophomore pitcher Nolan Cain’s ankle to score senior infielder Kyle Latiolais, but Cain was able to wiggle out of trouble when Lara threw out Bard trying to steal second base to end the Mississippi Valley State rally. Lara threw out two Delta Devil runners on the game to increase his percentage of runners caught to 32 percent. The Tigers return to Alex Box Stadium this weekend against the University of Mississippi. Jackson said LSU is anxious to try to get out of the bottom-half of the SEC West race. Going into the game, LSU is in fifth place in the division, but only trails first place Mississippi by two and half games for second place. “There is a sense of urgency,” Jackson said. “We just need to go out and gel and mesh as a team to get stuff going. We can still do really well in conference.”
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