LSU left-hander Clay Dirks knew going into Tuesday night’s game against the University of New Orleans that he would only get two or three innings of work. What he did not expect was an eight-run LSU lead after the first inning.
The Tigers sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and scored eight runs on five hits for an early 8-0 lead on their way to a 14-0 victory over UNO before 3,662 in attendance at Alex Box Stadium.
The game was called after the top of the seventh inning on a pregame arrangement between LSU coach Smoke Laval and UNO coach Randy Bush.
“[UNO] had two guys injured,” Laval said. “They disciplined four guys due to team violations, and three of the four were very big contributors to their club. Coach Bush asked me if I minded, and I said let’s just play it out and see how it goes.”
Dirks only pitched two innings but was given the win because it was predetermined LSU (16-2) would use multiple pitchers over the night. Relievers Michael Bonura and Greg Smith pitched two innings with three strikeouts each, and Jason Determann pitched the seventh inning.
Dirks (4-0) struck out three and allowed two hits to the eight batters he faced. It was predetermined before the game he would only pitch a few innings to give other LSU pitchers some work to prepare for Southeastern Conference play, which begins this weekend at South Carolina.
“I felt good,” Dirks said. “I got out there, got warm and then all of a sudden I’m done. I got enough in to get loose and then we’ll let someone else give it a try.”
After Dirks struck out two Privateers (9-12) in the first inning, the Tigers went to work offensively in the bottom half.
Left-fielder Ryan Patterson started the onslaught with a one-out double and center fielder J.C. Holt followed with a walk. Catcher Matt Liuzza drove in Patterson with a double and third baseman Clay Harris drove in Holt with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Liuzza scored on designated hitter Nick Stavinoha’s double to deep left and Jon Zeringue followed with a walk. Second baseman Blake Gill cleared the bases with a triple down the right field line to make it 5-0.
“We had to keep it rolling with competitive at-bats,” Laval said. “Once you see the momentum going our way, you need to go out and bury them. And we did.”
First baseman Will Harris then walked and UNO starter Marcus McKenzie (1-2) was relieved as lead-off hitter Matt Horwath stepped up to the plate. Horwath roped an RBI-double to left and Patterson added a two-run single to close out the inning.
“UNO’s a great team and to come out with the enthusiasm we had swinging the bats like we did is really good,” said Liuzza, who went 2-for-2 and led off the second inning with a home run to right-center field. “This weekend we play South Carolina and to have a game like that is really good.”
After Liuzza’s third home run of the season, the Tigers scored three more in the third on an RBI-ground out from Ivan Naccarata and RBI hits from Holt and catcher Dustin Weaver.
The Tigers also scored a run in the fifth and sixth.
“That’s one thing we try to focus on is keeping that pressure on every inning,” Liuzza said. “I know we’ve had a lot of games where we will score five or six early and put up a zero spot over the rest of the game.”
Liuzza also said Dirks looked in fine form on the mound for the brief time he was in the game.
“He kept the ball down, hit his spots,” Liuzza said. “His curve ball is his out pitch. Dirks knows how to control a game. It’s good when he’s on the mound.”
Laval was pleased with what he saw from his relievers, who all hit 90 mph or better on the radar.
“From what I understand, Greg Smith was throwing it in there 92 or 93 [mph],” Laval said. “Dirks was 86 or 87 [mph], which means he is getting back to form. He doesn’t have to throw hard. Bonura was 91 [mph]. Determann was 90, 91 [mph] and throwing the ball in the zone. It was a very well played ball game.”