Dirks, Home Runs Power LSU Past State 11-6
March 27, 2004 | Baseball
Official Game Statistics
Official Game Statistics (PDF)
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Freshman left-hander Clay Dirks gave up two runs in eight innings of pitching and three Tigers hit home runs as top-ranked Louisiana State (20-4, 3-2 SEC) topped No. 24 Mississippi State 11-6 Saturday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium.
Dirks (5-0) scattered five hits and struck out seven to help LSU even the SEC Western Division baseball series at a game apiece. State (14-7, 2-3 SEC) opened the series Friday night with a 7-3 win over the Tigers.
Ryan Patterson, Nick Stavinoha and Jon Zeringue each homered for Louisiana State, accounting for five LSU runs.
Patterson, 3-for-5 with three RBI, delivered a two-out double into the left-center field gap off MSU starter Jeff Lacher (2-3) to stake Dirks to a 2-0 lead in the third inning.
State scored its first run in the fourth when Steve Gendron singled up the middle and raced home on a double by Brad Jones. It was the first of a team-leading three hits on the day for Jones, who collected a career-high three RBI. The Bulldogs left the bases loaded in the inning, and the Tigers took command of the game with four-run bursts in the fourth and fifth innings. Zeringue singled in two runs in the fourth and added a three-run home run to left in the fifth. Patterson opened the fifth with a solo blast. Stavinoha also drilled a two-out solo blast to left in the sixth to give LSU an 11-1.
Craig Tatum doubled and scored State's second run of the game in the eighth on Jones' single to right.
The Bulldogs batted around in the ninth inning, scoring four runs off LSU relief pitcher Collin Smith to close out the scoring.
Lacher allowed six runs on eight hits. Jon Crosby, Brett Cleveland and Andy Wilson finished the game for the Bulldogs.Brad Corley's two-run triple highlighted the inning.
Jones was the lone multi-hit performer for the Bulldogs. Gendron extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his single to lead off the fourth.
Zeringue went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and five RBI as LSU out-hit State 13-9.
State and LSU wrap up their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m., with junior right-hander Alan Johnson (0-0, 2.65) matched with LSU's Nate Bumstead (3-0, 4.70).
LSU 11, MISSISSIPPI STATE 6
MSU 000 100 014 --- 6-9-1LSU 002 441 00x --- 11-13-2
WP --- Clay Dirks (5-0). LP --- Jeff Lacher (2-3). HR --- Ryan Patterson (4), Jon Zeringue (7), Nick Stavinoha (4). T --- 2:32. ATT --- 5,860 (8,289 (paid).
