LSU freshman pitcher Kurt McCune earned Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week honors Monday for his Sunday start against Wake Forest.
McCune threw six shutout innings and had a no-hitter after five innings before surrendering a one-out single in the sixth inning.
He amassed seven strikeouts, gave up two walks and allowed only the one hit in his first start as a Tiger to preserve the sweep against Wake Forest.
“His numbers were phenomenal, but he showed me more than just what the numbers were,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “He showed me that he really knew what it took to win.”
Mainieri said McCune pitched like a veteran from the start. He struck out the side in the first inning.
“First pitch of the game I thought was a strike, and the umpire called it a ball,” Mainieri said. “Instead of him whining about that, he just came right back next pitch and pumped a strike in there and ended up striking out the leadoff hitter.”
McCune said he wasn’t sure until shortly before the game if he would even get the start.
“Our plan was if they needed me to come in and close Saturday night that was the plan, and if they didn’t then Sunday was my start,” he said.
McCune, who went 9-4 with a 3.74 ERA last year at Destrehan High School, was one of a number of freshmen with breakout performances this weekend.
Freshman pitcher Kevin Gausman threw six strikouts and no walks, giving up two runs in 5 2/3 innings on Saturday.
Freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones hit .500 for the weekend with a home run and three RBIs, and freshman outfielder Spencer Ware had two hits and a walk in his three at-bats this weekend.
LSU jumped two spots from No. 22 to No. 20 in the Baseball America poll and from No. 15 to No. 13 in the Collegiate Baseball poll after sweeping Wake Forest.
Florida (3-0) remained No. 1 in the Baseball America poll, while Vanderbilt (4-0) jumped a spot to No. 3 and South Carolina (3-0) remained at No. 7. LSU is the only team in the top 25 representing the SEC West.
 
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]