It wasn’t perfect, but the LSU baseball team will take a win any way it can.
LSU (22-12) scored seven runs on six hits and took advantage of four Alcorn State (12-20) errors in a 7-1 victory Wednesday night to snap its second four-game losing streak since beginning Southeastern Conference play.
“We needed a win bad, however it came,” said junior shortstop Austin Nola. “No matter if it was ugly or it wasn’t, we did our job.”
Redshirt freshman pitcher Forrest Garrett started and surrendered just one hit in three innings in his longest appearance of the season.
Garrett, who underwent Tommy John surgery in spring 2010, held McNeese State scoreless during 1 2/3 innings of work March 30 in his only other start this season.
“My arm feels great,” Garrett said. “I felt like I could have gone on many more innings after that, but I think coach doesn’t want to overdo everything.”
LSU scored five runs in five innings against Alcorn State senior pitcher Brent Blaum, who actually lowered his ERA with the performance.
Blaum had a 12.49 ERA and was 1-3 with a .403 opponents’ batting average entering the game.
The Tigers jumped on Blaum for two runs in the first inning. Sophomore designated hitter Raph Rhymes walked to start the game, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by junior third baseman Tyler Hanover and scored on an RBI double by Mikie Mahtook.
Mahtook stole his 51st career base, tying him with former second baseman Todd Walker at No. 9 in team history in the category. He scored the second run of the inning on a bloop single to right field by junior shortstop Austin Nola.
“I was really happy to see that after last night when we had first and second and nobody out and we didn’t get it done,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri.
Freshman pitcher Nick Rumbelow entered for Garrett in the fourth inning and was helped immediately by Hanover, who dove toward third base on a grounder and fired across the diamond to record Rumbelow’s first out.
Rumbelow induced a 3-6-3 double play between junior first baseman Kirk Cunningham and Nola to end the top of the fourth inning after putting two men on with a walk and a single.
“That was one of the sparkling plays of the night,” Mainieri said. “That was as big a play as any.”
Nola started the bottom of the fourth with a double and came across on a fielder’s choice by freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones, safe at first after the first baseman to threw home late.
Jones stole second, Cunningham flew out and freshman left fielder Spencer Ware walked and came all the way home on a two-run double by freshman catcher Ty Ross, which increased LSU’s lead to 5-0.
“I love helping the team with RBIs,” Ross said. “In high school that’s what I did. I was the guy who got those hits.”
Rumbelow put the Braves down in order in the fifth inning before running into trouble in the sixth inning. He walked speedy senior outfielder Brandon Hollins, who stole second and third base before Rumbelow threw a strikeout and walked another batter.
Freshman Samuel Peterson entered and allowed an RBI infield single as the Braves recorded their first and only run of the game before Peterson sat down two of the next three Alcorn State batters.
LSU retaliated with two runs in the sixth inning by Ross. Two runs scored on a grounder Ross ripped to third base, which was too hot for junior Antolin Morales, who had two errors in the inning.
Peterson tossed a perfect seventh inning, and senior Daniel Bradshaw and sophomores Chris Cotton and Kevin Berry held the Braves hitless in the final two innings to seal the win.
Follow Rowan Kavner on Twitter @TDR_Kavner
 
—-
Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]