The brooms are out early in 2011.
Junior outfielder Mikie Mahtook clobbered four home runs, and all three starting pitchers went at least five innings as the No. 15 LSU baseball team swept its opening series against Wake Forest.
“It was just a matter of going out and showing the fans what they’re in for this year,” Mahtook said. “I think it’s going to be a fun and exciting year.”
LSU (3-0) capped the series with a 9-1 win Sunday afternoon with freshman pitcher Kurt McCune on the mound.
McCune had a no-hitter through five innings before giving up a dribbler between third base and shortstop in the sixth. He pitched six innings with seven strikeouts and two walks before sophomore pitcher Jimmy Dykstra threw two scoreless innings in relief.
“I’m glad he kind of got me off the hook there giving up the base hit,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “I’m sure everybody would have booed me when I hooked him after six innings with a no-hitter.”
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The floodgates opened in the bottom of the third when the Tigers turned a scoreless game into a 5-0 lead.
Junior outfielder Trey Watkins put the Tigers on the board, 1-0, with an RBI single up the middle. It was the first of two singles for Watkins, who was 0-for-7 in two previous games.
A double by sophomore outfielder Raph Rhymes increased the lead to 2-0 before Mahtook drove a three-run home run to left field, giving him at least one homer in all three games.
Wake Forest (0-3) intentionally walked Mahtook in the bottom of the fifth inning to load the bases for junior shortstop Austin Nola, who brought in a run with a sacrifice fly. Sophomore outfielder Mason Katz then smacked a three-run home run to left field, extending the lead to 9-0.
“We always say make them pay for it,” Katz said. “If they pitch around Mikie, it’s important for us to do that so they know not to do it again.”
Wake Forest mustered its only run in the ninth inning off sophomore pitcher Chris Cotton.
LSU was just as dominant in Friday’s home opener.
The Tigers scored six runs in each of the first two innings in a 15-4 blowout, running their streak of season-opening wins to 10.
“For an opening game, I’m not sure we could have played much better,” Mainieri said.
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Mahtook belted two solo bombs, Katz hit two doubles and drove in three runs and Nola added three hits. Mahtook and Katz led the Tigers with six RBIs a piece during the weekend, and Katz and Nola each had three doubles in the series.
Freshman outfielder Spencer Ware replaced Katz in the fifth inning and delivered an RBI single in his first career Tiger at-bat.
Ware had two hits and a walk in his only three at-bats during the weekend.
Senior pitcher Ben Alsup threw five straight balls to start the games but worked out of a bases loaded, no-out jam and conceded only one unearned run in five innings.
“He just dug deep and pitched in the clutch,” Mainieri said. “It really set the tone for the night.”
Saturday was a much tighter contest as the Tigers relied heavily on their newcomers.
Freshmen pitchers Kevin Gausman and Ryan Eades threw a combined eight innings and junior pitcher Matty Ott earned his first save of the season as LSU squeaked out a 4-3 win.
Gausman gave up two runs in the first two innings before settling down, striking out six batters and walking none in 5 2/3 innings.
“I’ve always been like that,” Gausman said. “If someone’s going to get runs or hits off me it’s always going to be early in the game when I haven’t found my rhythm.”
Freshman second baseman JaCoby Jones went 3-for-3 at the plate with a home run and two RBIs. He hit .500 in his first series as a Tiger, trailing only junior third baseman Tyler Hanover in the team lead for batting average.
Eades surrendered one run in 2 1/3 innings, walking one and striking out three Demon Deacons.
 
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Contact Rowan Kavner at [email protected]