As sleep deprivation and thunderstorms infected Alex Box Stadium, an elite LSU pitcher evolved into a superstar.
“Alex Lange showed why he is an All-American,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “All he cares about is winning. He is next in the long line of humble superstars that we have had around here. Man, what a performance.”
After rain delayed first pitch until 10:15 p.m., LSU freshman Alex Lange got his first taste of postseason play, and he defiantly stole the show in LSU’s 2-0 victory against UNC-Wilmington (40-17).
Lange struggled early in the matchup, going down quickly in counts, not acquiring the command he normally has over his pitches.
After a meeting with LSU pitching coach Alan Dunn in the middle of the fourth inning, Lange regrouped and seemed to be in control for the remainder of the game.
“It was big,” Lange said. “He just gave me a second out there. We just talked. He told me what mental adjustments to make and what physical adjustments to make. Not letting me get ahead of myself.”
LSU junior Chris Chinea allowed Lange some relief on the mound after he hit an RBI single to right field, giving the Tigers a small, but comfortable, 1-0 lead.
Lange lead the Tigers on the mound as he threw a complete game shutout, during the teams’ 50th win of the season (50-10). Lange became the only freshman in school history to reach 100 strikeouts during his first season. He now stands at 11-0 on the season.
“A guy like Alex is going to get us a [win],” Chinea said. “Play flawless defense behind him, and with a pitcher like that, we are going to win a lot of ball games.”
Lange threw 119 pitches in nine innings with 12 strikeouts and two walks. He gave up only six hits against 33 at bats.
UNCW placed Evan Phillips on the mound to duel against the LSU ace. Phillips, whose regular season stats were less than stellar, gave a strong performance to combat the Tigers’ freshman talent.
Both teams rallied behind their pitchers providing good defense, perhaps showcasing two of the top defensive plays this season.
“I don’t want to say I’m used to it,” Lange said. “But I am kind of used to it. That’s what they do, they make big plays [on defense].”
In the bottom of the second inning, UNCW junior Zach Shields added a diving catch to his highlight reel when he robbed senior Jared Foster of a clean hit to deep right-center field with a diving catch on the warning track.
LSU had a spectacular catch of its own when junior Mark Laird robbed UNCW’s Gavin Stupienski of a home run, which would have given the Seahawks a lead in the sixth inning.
Although the notable plays were enjoyable to see, LSU coach Paul Mainieri said Lange’s performance sealed the victory for the Tigers.
Tonight, the Tigers’ curfew was pushed to 3 a.m., though it’s usually midnight, to celebrate before preparing for tomorrow’s championship game against the winner of Tulane and UNC-Wilmington, which is set to begin on Sunday at 3 p.m.
“We are playing for a championship tomorrow,” Mainieri said. “So, we will get to bed sometime. We know the work is not done.”
You can reach Christian Boutwell on Twitter @CBoutwell_TDR.