Eula Josephine Lagrange Larose
April 28, 2008
Adam "T-Dent" LaCoste
April 30, 2008
It doesn’t happen too often, but the LSU baseball and softball teams managed to each sweep their Southeastern Conference opponent at home this past weekend.
For the first time this season, the Tigers swept an SEC opponent. With the three victories, LSU improved to 28-16-1 overall and 9-11-1 in conference play.
The Tigers, who beat Tulane on Tuesday, 8-4, and McNeese State on Wednesday, 6-0, have won five straight games.
In the final contest on Sunday against No. 12 South Carolina, LSU had to endure two rain delays before recording their first SEC sweep at home since 2003 with a 6-3 decision.
Derek Helenihi recorded three hits in the contest and launched his second home run of the season. D.J. LeMaheiu launched a homer in the fourth inning, his fifth of the season, and Jared Mitchell, hit a home run in the eighth for his third of the season and second of the series. On the mound, Ryan Verdugo (7-2) got the victory after firing six strong innings and allowing seven hits and three earned runs. Paul Bertuccini recorded three shutout innings to preserve the win. Matt Clark also had two of the Tigers’ 10 hits on Sunday.
On Friday, LSU exploded for 15 hits, including three home runs in the contests. The Tigers were down 2-0 before a five-run second gave the Tigers a lead they would never lose. LSU added two in the third, three in the sixth and a lone run in the eighth.
Michael Hollander (three hits, three runs batted in), Clark and Mitchell (three hits, three runs scored, three RBIs) each had home runs in the game. Blake Martin (2-3) got the win after going 8.1 innings, while scattering seven hits and two runs.
On Saturday, the Tigers pulled off a huge comeback to win the second game of the series, 11-10, in 11 innings. Chris McGhee scored the game-winning run on a fielding error (one of five by South Carolina in the game). McGhee reached base on an error, advanced on a groundout and stole third. LSU was down seven runs after five innings in the game.
Nicholas Pontiff hit a two-run homer as a pinch hitter to force the game into extra innings at 9-all.
After a couple of scoreless extra innings, Arkansas got a lone run against reliever Jared Bradford, who improved to 7-4 with the win. Bradford allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in the final four innings.
In the final inning, Hollander reached second base on a throwing error, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on another throwing error.
The Tigers will play at Kentucky this weekend (Friday, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday’s contests scheduled to start at noon).
LADY TIGERS CELEBRATE THEIR FOURTH SEC
The Lady Tigers finished their fourth SEC sweep of the season (all of them have been at home) when they defeated Arkansas, 4-0, on Sunday. LSU (38-14 overall, 15-10 in the SEC) took the Saturday doubleheader, 4-0 and 8-6 (eight innings).
On Sunday, Cody Trahan (15-4) got the complete-game victory after allowing only three hits, a walk and striking out four. At the plate, Rachel Mitchell had a solo home run in the third and a two-run shot in the three-run fifth.
Saturday’s first game featured another gem by Trahan, who held Arkansas to four hits and struck out 10. Quinlan Duhon and Killian Roessner each had home runs in the win.
In the second game, Shannon Stein registered a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning. Trahan got the win in relief after spelling starter Tiffany Garcia, who went 4.1 innings and reliever Casey Faile (three innings pitched).
The Lady Tigers were without the services of ace hurler Dani Hofer, who is suffering through a wrist injury.
In the second game on Saturday, LSU broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the fourth, but Arkansas scored five in the top of the fifth. The Lady Tigers tied the game with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Erika Sluss had two hits and two runs batted in.
Earlier in the week, LSU routed Louisiana-Monroe, 11-0 in five innings, on the road. Faile (3-1) recorded a one-hit complete game effort. Mitchell and Sluss each had two hits, while Mitchell had three RBIs and a homer in the contest.
The Lady Tigers will now play four road games in a row (today at Southeastern Louisiana, 6 p.m.; doubleheader Saturday at South Carolina starting at noon and a noon contest on Sunday against South Carolina to conclude the regular season).
DORSEY GOES IN THE NFL DRAFT’S FIRST ROUND
As expected, Glenn Dorsey extended LSU’s streak of five consecutive years with a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. Dorsey, the most decorated defensive player in LSU football history, was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs as the fifth overall selection.
The NFL Draft concluded on Sunday afternoon with a total of seven LSU players being taken in the two-day event, which is the second-best showing ever for the Tigers in the draft. In 1948, LSU had eight players selected in the draft. LSU has had seven players picked in the NFL Draft seven times, including three times this decade – 2004, 2006, and 2008.
Cornerback Chevis Jackson was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round (68th overall pick); running back Jacob Hester was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the third round (69th overall pick); wide receiver Early Doucet was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the third round (81st overall pick); safety Craig Steltz was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round (120th overall pick); quarterback Matt Flynn was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round (209th overall pick) and tight end Keith Zinger was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round (232nd overall pick).
Derek Helenihi had three hits in Sunday’s game against South Carolina. * Photo by STEVE FRANZ LSU
