After being shut out in game one and delivering a blow out in game two, the baseball team found itself in a hard-fought contest Sunday afternoon — which carried into the evening after taking a total of 13 innings to break the 4-4 tie.
The Tigers lost the rubber game 5-4, dropping the series to the Tide.
The Tigers traveled this weekend to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to compete against the Tide in a Southeastern Conference weekend series. Friday’s game was LSU’s first consecutive league-loss this season. Auburn defeated the Tigers last weekend, but this was the first shut out LSU received this season.
Alabama right-hander T.J. Large (5-2) held the Tigers to only four hits on the night giving the Tide offense a chance to attack.
The Tigers’ defense also had a tough night, giving up one unearned run in the first inning — which proved to be all Alabama needed for the victory — but the Tide bats were not finished.
Catcher Kody Valverde and left��elder Gabe Scott put more damage on the board by launching two homeruns to seal the victory 4-0.
Senior starter Lane Mestepey was charged with the loss before being relieved by junior right-hander Edgar Ramirez in the eighth.
The Tiger bats came alive Saturday night, which included three home runs, when LSU conquered game two 11-2. Eleven hits on the night were led by senior Ryan Patterson who blasted his 13th homerun of the season. Seniors Blake Gill and Dustin Weaver also contributed with multiple-run homers on the night.
Sophomore Clay Dirks extended his undefeated record to 7-0 on the season. The left-hander gave up only two runs in five innings of work. Alabama senior left-hander Brett Carter (4-2) was handed the loss after giving up six runs in six-plus innings.
With both teams getting a taste of defeat, neither wanted to give up Sunday’s matchup — or the series victory. The game stretched into 13 innings after Alabama tied the game at four late.
The four extra innings were uneventful until the bottom of the 13th. LSU committed its first two errors of the game to put Alabama runners on first and second base. Junior right-hander Evan Bush took advantage of the LSU mishaps with a single to send sophomore Emeel Salem home for the winning run.
Sunday’s loss gave LSU its second-consecutive series defeat. Alabama remains in contention for first place in the SEC West with a 22-9 overall record and 6-3 in the SEC. The Tigers fell to 21-8 on the season including a 5-4 SEC record.
LSU will return to action Tuesday night when the Tigers travel to Nicholls State for a mid-week matchup.