The broomsticks were back in Alex Box Stadium for a second consecutive weekend, but this time it was the away team, No. 1 Florida, doing the sweeping.
LSU struggled to consistently manufacture runs all series long against a pitching staff whose least successful starter was the No. 9 overall pick in the 2010 MLB draft. The results, on the offensive end at least, were predictably ugly.
NOTEABLE
What LSU lacked in runs, it didn’t lack in support. Friday’s actual attendance of 10,220 set a new single-game record. Additionally, the actual attendance for the entire series was 28,215, eclipsing the record set just one week prior against Cal State Fullerton.
Friday night included junior closer Matty Ott’s first loss, blown save and home run allowed this season. Home runs have always been a weak point for Ott, who allowed seven in just 28 appearances in 2010.
Freshman pitcher Kevin Gausman became the first LSU pitcher to last eight innings this season, throwing 118 pitches and allowing just five hits in LSU’s 1-0 loss Saturday.
The shutout loss marked the first time the Tigers failed to score in a game since May 5, 2007, and was the first 1-0 loss for LSU since the 2004 Southeastern Conference Tournament against Georgia.
Saturday’s loss was also the first time in 16 chances this season in which LSU lost a game despite collecting more hits than its opponent. It was sandwiched between the only two times this season LSU has lost a game when scoring first.
The three straight losses was the first time since the 2006 season LSU suffered an SEC series sweep at home.
The single-game high for hits allowed by a pitcher was broken twice this series. Freshman pitcher Kurt McCune surrendered seven against Florida in the series opener, which was eclipsed only two days later when senior pitcher Ben Alsup allowed 11 hits in four innings.
Junior shortstop Austin Nola committed three errors during the series, including LSU’s first multi-error game of the season. His nine errors thus far are already a higher total than either of his previous two seasons.
LSU stranded 10 runners in each of the last two games of the series.
 
STREAKS
LSU’s last home run came in the first game of the Princeton series. After hitting 14 home runs in its first 10 games, LSU has failed to hit a home run in its last 10.
Junior left fielder Trey Watkins was pinch-hit for in the ninth inning Sunday, marking the first time this season he failed to reach base in a game. Junior center fielder Mikie Mahtook is now the only player who has reached base in all 20 games.
Junior second baseman Tyler Hanover now has the second-longest reached base streak at 12 games.
Mahtook extended his hitting streak to six games, his longest of the season and the longest active streak on the team.
LSU has lost seven consecutive regular season games to the Gators, dating back to 2009 when LSU dropped the final game after winning the first two.
QUOTABLE
Gausman on the stranded baserunners: “It’s definitely frustrating, but with how good our offense has been, I didn’t think we were going to have nine hits and not score a run.”
Mahtook on Gausman’s performance: “He deserved to win the game, but unfortunately, we didn’t come up with any runs.”
Nola on scoring runs: “You can’t win games when you strand 10 baserunners. That’s just the way the game goes.”
 
 
____
Contact Ryan Ginn at [email protected]