LSU split the two-game series with Houston Saturday and Sunday, dropping the first game 7-2 and winning the second 5-2 in Alex Box Stadium.
A driving rain storm canceled Friday night’s game, reducing the scheduled three-game series to two.
With the win Sunday, LSU improved its record to 6-4 while Houston dropped to 3-5.
“We competed well,” said LSU head coach Smoke Laval, who became the quickest LSU baseball coach in history to win 50 games. “We finally competed like we did the first weekend against Northwestern State. We faced some really good arms, and I was proud of our competitiveness.”
Laval reshuffled the LSU infield moving Aaron Hill back to shortstop where he played last season. Ivan Naccarata made the move from second to third base, Blake Gill started at second and freshman Will Harris took over first base duties.
Laval said Tiger fans should get used to this lineup in the infield. He said it may not remain the same all season, but for the time being, he is satisfied.
The Tigers took advantage of the 20th-ranked Cougar’s All-American pitcher Brad Sullivan Sunday, scoring four runs during his 5 2/3 innings on the mound.
Naccarata made his presence felt when he hit a line drive, two-run home run off Sullivan that cleared the right field fence, giving LSU a 4-0 lead in the sixth.
“I feel a little more used to the pressure now,” Naccarata said. “I see the ball better, and I’ve been working at it a lot.”
Naccarata finished the series 3-for-8 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored in his first series at third base.
“I like third, but if Smoke decides to put me back at second, I’ll be more than happy,” Naccarata said. “The reaction time is less at third and I feel comfortable there. The pressure is still there, but I like it better than second.”
Brian Wilson’s seven scoreless innings kept No. 12 LSU from becoming the first team in Tiger baseball history to go winless in two-consecutive weekends.
Wilson was pulled in the eighth inning after giving up two-consecutive hits and Bo Pettit came in for relief.
“I told Brian, ‘You deserve to get a shutout,'” Laval said. “He did what we asked him to do, and you can see what he can do when he is focused.”
Wilson struck out five batters through the seven innings with no walks, two runs but none earned.
Pitcher Bo Pettit made his season debut for the Tigers after being sidelined with the flu for the past few weeks. He came in during a pressure situation with two men on base. After walking the first batter he faced, Pettit retired the final six, picking up the first save of his career.
“It felt real good to be out there,” Pettit said. “Coming in with a five-run lead made it easier for me.”
Saturday, it was the Cougars’ pitching that muted the Tigers’ bats, holding LSU to a season-low six hits. Danny Zell and Ryan Wagner combined to shut down the Tigers.
Entering the sixth inning Saturday with the scored tied 1-1, LSU pitcher Jake Tompkins gave up four runs. The Tigers were unable to come back because Wagner entered in the seventh and struck out seven LSU hitters in the final three innings, securing the victory for the Cougars.
LSU committed a season-high four errors in Saturday’s loss. On the season, the Tigers have booted 16 errors resulting in 11 unearned runs.
After losing the first game of the series, the Tigers had a 5-4 record. Not since 1983 has an LSU team been at or below .500 after 10 games into the season.
LSU has five days off before returning to action in Long Beach, Calif., Friday for a three-game series against No. 8 Long Beach State, beginning at 8 p.m.