An effective starting pitching performance from Chris Matulis was enough to propel the LSU baseball team to a series-clinching win on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium.The sophomore pitcher struck out six times while only allowing five hits in 5 1/3 innings of work to lead LSU (16-3, 2-1) to a 5-1 win against Arkansas (13-5, 1-2) in the first Southeastern Conference series of the season.”Chris Matulis arrived today,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “For me, this was what I’ve been waiting for out of that kid for a year plus.”The series did not start positively for LSU as the Tigers dropped Friday night’s game, 6-3, after being shut down by Arkansas senior pitcher Mike Bolsinger.Saturday’s game started out rough as well, but the Tigers erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning to take game two, 8-7.The win Sunday for the Tigers was the second in the series. LSU has now won 14 of its last 15 SEC series.”This is something we all should be very proud of,” Mainieri said. “Any time that you can lose the first game of a series and then come back to win the next two displays a lot of great character.”Matulis likely won’t start next weekend despite his solid pitching performance, as injured junior pitcher Anthony Ranaudo is scheduled to make his long-awaited return to the mound next weekend.Mainieri said Ranaudo is likely to start but only pitch a few innings. He said the plan is to pitch him on Sunday next week, then Saturday and then Friday in successive weeks.”Anthony Ranaudo’s bullpen went great today — as well as can be expected,” Mainieri said. “He threw 25 pitches off the mound, and he threw all 25 pitches 100 percent. So now what we’ll do is try to get him on a schedule to be ready to pitch Sunday against Tennessee.”Things appeared bleak for both LSU and Arkansas on Sunday.Both teams loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, and neither was able to push across any runs or threaten to score again in the next few innings.It wasn’t until LSU senior designated hitter Matt Gaudet’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning allowed sophomore right fielder Mikie Mahtook to score and bring the score to 1-0 in favor of the Tigers.Mahtook crossed home plate again in the next inning after he knocked a solo home run over the fence in right field. At that point, LSU led, 2-0.The Razorbacks cut LSU’s lead in half in the top of the sixth inning when Arkansas pitcher Brett Eibner helped out his own cause by knocking a solo home run over the fence in right-center field.That run was Arkansas’ only score of the game.LSU tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore left fielder Trey Watkins hit a solo homer to right field to make the score 3-1.Weather conditions were unseasonably cool for this matchup with a game-time temperature of 42 degrees. The wind was blowing 21 miles an hour, and Mainieri said that was a factor in the homers.”On the home runs by Mahtook and [Watkins], we took advantage of the way the wind was blowing,” he said. “They both were hit well, but the wind kind of blew them out of the park.”LSU scored two more runs in the seventh inning when junior center fielder Leon Landry and sophomore shortstop Austin Nola each had an RBI single.Those runs brought the score to its final count of 5-1.Matulis got the win for the Tigers — his third of the season in three starts.Eibner (2-2) got the loss for the Razorbacks. He pitched six complete innings and allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out seven and walking two.LSU freshman pitcher Jordan Rittiner picked up the save for his three innings of shutout work. He struck out two batters and allowed only two hits.
 
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Contact  Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]