The Tigers have found a magic number for this season: five.LSU is 15-0 when leading after five innings and 15-1 when scoring at least five runs. The combination of large offensive output with solid starting pitching to back it up was the key to the Tigers’ two wins this weekend in South Carolina.”It was so good to hear the bats come alive like they did,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Hitting is a contagious thing. When one guy starts getting the big hits, then the other guys all seem to follow. I knew it was just a matter of time before we started to swing the bats again.”The No. 5 Tigers (17-5, 4-2) can build on their last two games of 10 or more runs today in the first of their two-game, mid-week series against Harvard.This will be the first game ever between the teams. It will also be the fifth game in as many days for the Crimson as they are on a seven-day Louisiana road swing including a weekend series against Centenary, a Monday night game against Louisiana-Monroe, two games against the Tigers and a Thursday night game against New Orleans.”They called us and said they were going to take a trip through the South and wanted to know if we had spots on our schedule, and we did,” Mainieri said. “I have a lot of respect for schools like Harvard. They want to get their kids some experience.”Harvard has compiled a 2-11  record so far this season after a 10-30 effort last season.But the Crimson’s problem hasn’t been their bats.Harvard is batting .303 with a .439 slugging percentage and has hit eight home runs this season.While those numbers pale in comparison to LSU’s .313 batting average, .540 slugging percentage and 40 home runs this season, they’re still nothing to scoff at.The problem has been pitching. Harvard’s ERA (10.94) looks more like former LSU quarterback Andrew Hatch’s yards-per completion (11.28) as their opponents are hitting at a .377 clip.Mainieri said he won’tt overlook the Crimson, despite their record.”I’m not going to take these games lightly,” Mainieri said. “They will be good games, and we want to keep our momentum going, especially with the way we are swinging our bats.”Harvard will have to do more than calm the Tigers’ bats tonight as they face LSU senior southpaw Ryan Bird, who boasts a 0.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings pitched this season.—-Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]