Despite falling behind early, LSU defeated Maryland 9-5 to complete the series sweep of Terrapins this weekend.
“I think some really great things happened today,” coach Paul Mainieri said. “I think it was good for our team to face a pretty good deficit where it didn’t look they were going to stop scoring with the way their [Maryland] guys were swinging the bats.”
The Tigers (7-1) got off to a rough start.
In the first inning, freshman pitcher Eric Walker allowed the first batter he faced, Maryland’s Zach Jancarski, to send a leadoff solo home run into the left field of Alex Box Stadium.
Sophomore right fielder Marty Costes reached second base for Maryland (1-5) and Will Watson sent another home run into left to put the Terrapins ahead 3-0 early.
However, it didn’t take long for the Tigers to respond.
LSU tacked on two runs in the bottom of the second inning after sophomore infielder Rankin Woley doubled to center and scored junior right fielder Greg Deichmann, who was walked to leadoff the inning.
Freshman third baseman Josh Smith followed suit with an RBI double to right field that scored Woley and cut the Tigers’ deficit to 3-2.
In the third inning, LSU jumped ahead.
Senior second baseman Cole Freeman began the inning with a leadoff single and moved to second base on a wild pitch. An RBI double from senior shortstop Kramer Robertson down the left field line scored Freeman to tie the game.
LSU loaded the bases after Deichmann was walked, and Woley reached first base on an error.
Smith was hit in the foot by a pitch, and LSU went up 4-3.
Junior catcher Michael Papierski brought home Woley and Deichmann to score with an RBI single to left. Freeman singled to the pitcher’s mound and scored Smith, and the Tigers entered the fourth inning with a 7-3 lead.
Deichmann kept things going.
Deichmann belted his fourth home run in eight games to right field to put LSU ahead 9-3 after Robertson previously singled in the fourth inning.
It took the junior right fielder 25 games last season to register four home runs.
“I didn’t think anyone could hit a ball against the wind today,” Mainieri said. “He [Deichmann] is becoming a real complete player for us.”
Maryland tacked on two runs in the top of the 7th inning against LSU junior pitcher Doug Norman to cut into the deficit.
Norman loaded the bases in the third inning before going down to his knees on a 3-2 pitch, and forcing LSU to make a swift pitching change to senior pitcher Colin Strall.
Following the game Mainieri had no immediate update on Norman’s status.
“It makes you sick to your stomach,” Mainieri said. “Lets hope for the best, but I don’t have a report on it yet.”
Sophomore pitcher Caleb Gilbert earned the win on Sunday. Gilbert pitched the fifth and sixth inning and struck out every single batter he faced.
His strategy was simple.
“Attack hitters and put up zeros,” Gilbert said of his mindset. “Just get that first out and keep it going.”
LSU now moves on to host Nicholls State University on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. from Alex Box Stadium.
