Game film from LSU’s contest against Centenary could be used in batting clinics the world over.
The Tigers (2-0) totaled 23 hits in a 25-8 rout of the Gents (0-2) in front of 7,832 fans in Alex Box Stadium.
“Early in the game the kids played with a lot of fire and had some great at-bats,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “One day a player can struggle and the next day they can come out and get five hits … you just have to find the kids you believe in, stick with them and ultimately, their talent will shine through.”
This is the most runs LSU has scored since notching 26 in 1999.
The Tigers pushed across two runs in the first inning and threatened to blow the game open after loading the bases.
Blow it open, they did.
Sophomore right fielder Mikie Mahtook hit a bases loaded, base-clearing triple to make the score 5-0 in the bottom of the first inning and on the first pitch of the next at-bat senior designated hitter Matt Gaudet crushed a shot over the left field wall to increase the lead to 7-0, LSU.
“Mikie’s a great player,” Gaudet said. “He got on base for us and got us going, and we just fed off that.”
The Tigers scored five runs in the third, three in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 16-0 lead into the sixth inning.
In the bottom half of the sixth, LSU scored six more runs to push their lead to 22-3.
Centenary scored one run in the seventh and three in the eighth, and LSU scored three of their own in the eighth to make the score 25-7.
Blake Dean led LSU in the RBI department with six which tied his career high. He finished with four hits in his five at-bats and scored twice.
“Last night a lot of guys had jitters because it was the first game and everyone was amped up and fired up,” he said. “Tonight we came out, settled down and gave our pitchers some run support.”
He finished the game with three hits in his five at-bats, four RBIs and two home runs.
Perhaps lost in the hitting barrage for the Tigers was the work of the night’s starting pitcher, Austin Ross.
The junior pitched five shutout innings while only giving up three hits.
The win was a special one for Mainieri. It marked career win No. 1,000 for him.
“I’ve had the great privilege to coach for four great universities,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of great kids over the years, and thoe kids won the games – not me. For some reason they keep a record of the coaches, so I guess this is the 1,000th one that we’ve won.
The Tigers will go for the sweep against Centenary Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Sophomore pitcher Joey Bourgeois will take the mound for the Tigers in his first start ever at LSU.
—-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected].