Pitchers, especially elite ones, often look at their performances as the sum of parts rather than a single outing.
So, what did sophomore right-handed pitcher Alex Lange think was wrong with his Game 3 start against Fordham on Saturday night?
“Everything,” Lange said on Saturday night. “I’ve just got to get better. I’ve got to throw the curveball for strikes. I’ve got to throw the changeup for strikes. I’ve got to put guys away when I can, and I’ve got to pitch in the clutch. I didn’t do that tonight.”
Even after, giving up career-highs in runs and earned runs in just five innings, he still hasn’t lost a game as a collegiate pitcher. A late charge from the offense, which had simmered throughout the first two games, made sure of that.
With a three-run deficit after Lange left the game and later a four-run deficit going into the bottom of the seventh, the No. 6 Tigers (9-2) scored all seven of their runs with two outs, recording five extra base hits to pull off the sweep of Saturday’s doubleheader and the series.
In a rare occurrence since Lange arrived in Baton Rouge, LSU put the preseason All-American on its shoulders, said sophomore left fielder Beau Jordan.
“I told these guys, ‘Lange has carried every team his whole life, and he needs our help tonight,’” Jordan said. “ So, if you don’t want to get up and do it, let somebody else hit. We challenged ourselves as a team to get up there and not waste an at-bat.’”
By the way it started, it didn’t appear Lange would need much bolstering from his offense. He mowed down the first three hitters he faced in the top of the first, prompting three strikeouts swinging on 11 pitches. He retired the side again in the top of second, generating three groundouts, but the leadoff batter in the third inning kicked off the tough day for the Tiger righty.
“I just got ahead of myself,” Lange said. “I was working from behind, and when you work from behind, you get hurt. That’s the bottom line.”
A single to start the frame was followed by a sacrifice bunt and Lange’s fourth strikeout. With two outs, Lange walked two straight batters on eight pitches, loading the bases. A run was then plated on Lange’s second wild pitch of the inning.
Despite a harmless fourth inning, Lange gave up three runs on four hits in the fifth, also issuing his third and final walk of the night. Another RBI single in the sixth and a throwing error by freshman infielder Trey Dawson led to a 6-3 Ram lead before Lange exited the game.
All the runs scored while Lange was on the mound came with two outs.
“Alex has been a great pitcher for us, but he walked a couple of guys and fell behind on counts,” Mainieri said. “He knows he can’t do that. I don’t care how good your stuff is. In college baseball, if you fall behind hitters, they’re going to hit you. And if you walk batters, it’s going to come back to haunt you.”
After rallying the offensive troops, Jordan led off the bottom of the seventh with a double. By the time the inning ended, Jordan was responsible for driving in the final run of the frame.
The seven-run swing was highlighted by junior second baseman Kramer Robertson’s game-tying, three-run double, as he hunted a first-pitch fastball.
“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be late on it,” Robertson said. “I thought he was going to try to challenge me there, and I guessed right.”
While this may be the worst blemish on Lange’s stellar career thus far, Robertson characterized the game as a young team maturing, not sitting idly when its ace endured a rough night.
“Sometimes, you’re not going to have your best stuff,” Robertson said. “The team can pick up their pitcher when he’s struggling, and good pitchers can pick up their hitters when they’re struggling. That’s why we’re a team.”

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Haskell Whittington

LSU sophomore outfielder Beau Jordan (24) misses a swing during LSU's 12-1 win against Fordham in Alex Box Stadium on Friday March 4, 2016.