Things haven’t gone as expected for LSU’s bats the last two weeks.The Tigers have scored five runs or fewer in five of their last eight games after scoring more than five runs in each of their first nine.Three of the team’s best sluggers — junior outfielder Blake Dean, sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs and junior second baseman Ryan Schimpf — have all struggled recently and have averages far below their 2008 paces.So with base hits coming less frequently than he would like, LSU coach Paul Mainieri has turned his team’s attention to the base paths, where the Tigers lead the Southeastern Conference in stolen bases.”You have to take a lot of gambles when you’re not hitting as well,” Mainieri said. “If you leave a guy at first, now you’re counting on two hits to score him. The way that we’ve been struggling because of some of the pitching we’ve been facing, I think that’d be wishful thinking. So we’ve been taking some chances.”The Tigers hope to have plenty of runners on base tonight when they host Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. in Alex Box Stadium.Junior outfielder Jared Mitchell has been LSU’s most effective base stealer and is a SEC-best 17-for-17 on the season, including four stolen bases on Sunday’s 3-1 win against Kentucky.As a team, the Tigers are 45-of-56 on the season and are well on pace to breaking the team record for stolen bases of 156 stolen bases set in 1987.”All of our guys have really made it a point to get better in the baserunning aspect of the game,” Mitchell said. “That’s helped us really utilize our team speed, which makes the defense step up their game and makes them make outs, instead of standing at the plate and getting out ourself.”Schimpf agreed with Mitchell and said stealing bases was a point of emphasis for the team before the start of the season.”We really pride ourselves on stealing bags,” he said. “Coach Javy [Sanchez] really works with us on getting good jumps, and we really take pride in our baserunning.”Against Northwestern State, the Tigers will be trying to manufacture runs for freshman pitcher Chris Matulis, who will start his fourth game of the season.Matulis has been the Tigers’ best midweek pitcher and has won each of his first three starts with a 2.70 ERA.Matulis will be facing a Demons offense that has scored eight or more runs in 10 of their 15 games this season, including 10 runs in the team’s 10-6 win against Tulane on March 4.LSU defeated the Demons, 10-3, last season in the old Alex Box Stadium.Junior first baseman Sean Ochinko expects Northwestern State’s best shot tonight, despite last season’s large win.”Anytime you play any of the other state schools, you know you’re going to get their A-game,” he said.
 
 
 
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