LSU coach Paul Mainieri has said the same thing all year – having a lineup one through nine full of athletes that can put the ball in play will make things happen.While the top half of LSU’s lineup struggled, the bottom half decided to step up in a big way, scoring four of LSU’s five runs, as the Tigers defeated Mississippi State, 5-4, Thursday night in Starkville, Miss, to pick up their 40th win of the season.LSU’s seven, eight and nine hitters combined to go 5-for-11 with four runs scored and 2 RBI in the game.Three of those runs came in the top of the seventh when No. 2 LSU (40-14, 19-9) began to touch up MSU southpaw Tyler Whitney.LSU junior right fielder Jared Mitchell, the seven hole hitter, walked to open the inning. Sophomore catcher Micah Gibbs then doubled, moving Mitchell to third, and Whitney was pulled after throwing six plus innings and giving up three earned runs on five hits while striking out two Tiger batters.Tiger freshman shortstop Austin Nola then got his second hit of the night, a double to right centerfield, to score both LSU runners.Nola was later moved to third on a groundout and scored on a single by freshman centerfielder Mikie Mahtook.The Tigers had struggled in the first six innings against Whitney, getting only one run off a solo home run by freshman centerfielder Mikie Mahtook.LSU took the lead in the eighth inning when Mitchell scored on a wild pitch to put the Tigers ahead, 5-4.While the bottom of the order took care of business on the offensive side of the ball, it was LSU’s pitching that took care of things on the defensive side.LSU sophomore right hander Anthony Ranaudo entered the game with a Southeastern Conference leading 112 strikeouts, and registered six in the game while walking five and giving up four runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings. He threw 128 pitches and retired 15 of the final 16 MSU batters he faced. The one he did not retire was a walk.Ranaudo ran into trouble in the first two innings but eventually got himself out of a couple of jams with runners in scoring position. In total, Ranaudo threw 59 pitches in the first two innings.MSU jumped ahead, 3-1, in the third on a pair of singles after a leadoff double by MSU designated hitter Ryan Duffy, a walk to first baseman Connor Powers, and a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third.The Bulldogs got another run on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Frank Rawdow, putting them ahead, 4-1 early.Ranaudo settled down in the fourth and fifth innings, retiring all six MSU batters he faced while striking out three.The Jackson, N.J., native continued to keep the Tigers in the game in the next two innings, including another three up, three down inning in the seventh.LSU freshman Matty Ott came in to close the game, getting the final five outs to pick up save number 12 on the season.The Tigers held a half-game lead over Alabama and a game lead over both Ole Miss and Florida in the SEC standings heading into the game.Auburn defeated Alabama, 3-2, in extra innings, making Alabama fall to one full game behind LSU.  Ole Miss defeated Arkansas, 7-5, to stay one game behind LSU, while Florida, also one game behind LSU, defeated Kentucky, 10-3. The Tigers now have to win one of their remaining two games against MSU to win the SEC regular season title for the first time since 2003. —–Contact Andy Schwehm at [email protected]