LSU Rallies Past State In The Eighth, 7-5
May 20, 2005 | Baseball
Official Game Statistics (in pdf)
STARKVILLE, Miss. - Ninth-ranked LSU (37-17, 17-11) struck for three runsin the eighth inning Friday night to pull out a 7-5 win over MississippiState (35-19, 12-15 SEC) in SEC baseball action at Dudy Noble Field. Thedivision-leading Tigers took advantage of MSU miscues to plate five unearnedruns in the game.
Nine-hole hitter Derek Hebert delivered a two-out, two-strike single toplate two runs, stole second and went to third on a errant pick-off throwbefore Bruce Sprowl followed with a run-scoring single up the middle.
LSU broke scoring ice with three unearned runs in the top of the fifth. MSUstarter Alan Johnson walked the first two batters in the inning. Sprowladvanced them with a bunt, and after Blake Gill struck out, Ryan Patterson'sground ball to shortstop was thrown away at first, allowing two runs toscore. Nick Stavinoha followed with a single to shallow left to scorePatterson with the third unearned run in the frame.
"Mestepey did a nice job shutting us down in the first four innings, but Ithought we swung the bats pretty well down the stretch and got some clutchhits," said Coach Ron Polk. "But you just can't allow fine teams like LSU tohave four-out innings and expect to win. That's been a problem for us inthe past few weeks."
State got back into the game with two runs in the fifth and took the leadwith two more in the sixth. MSU loaded the bases in the fifth when JosephHunter and Joseph McCaskill opened the frame with singles and Brian LaNinfadrew a walk. Hunter came home on Michael Rutledge's double play grounder andJeffrey Rea laced a single to left to score McCaskill. Brad Jones got thebulldogs going with a ground rule double that bounced over the left fieldfence. State got back-to-back two-out RBI singles by Hunter and McCaskill totake a 4-3 lead.
Johnson, who worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to open the game,scattered seven hits, walked four and struck out five, leaving the gameafter giving up a lead-off single in the seventh. That runner later camehome on a two-out passed ball, tying the game at 4-4.
State loaded the bases in their half of the seventh when Ed Easley doubledinto the right field corner, Thomas Berkery drew a walk and Brad Jonessingled to right. MSU could manage but one run, however, that coming on BradCorley's sacrifice fly to right. It was the only run allowed by LSU reliefman Jason Determann (4-0), who managed to avoid the big inning in theseventh and held State scoreless in the eighth after McCaskill and JeffreyButts opened the frame with singles. The Tiger lefty allowed five hits andwalked one in 3-1/3 innings of mound duty.
Brett Cleveland, who replaced Johnson in the seventh, took the loss, givingup two runs on two hits and a walk. Mike Valentine worked the final twoinnings and was charged with one unearned run.
McCaskill had three hits and drove in a run while Brad Jones and JosephHunter had two hits apiece. Blake Gill had three hits and bruce Sprowl andDerek Hebert two each for LSU.
The Bulldogs had won 29 straight games when taking leads into the eighthinning.
The win kept LSU in first place in the SEC West and, coupled with Fridaynight wins by both Florida and Tennessee, third in the overall leaguestandings, a game out of first place with two games to play.
The Bulldogs slipped to 10th place in the SEC, a half-game behind Auburn,Arkansas and Vanderbilt, all 13-15 in the SEC.
Mississippi State will honor its five senior players and lone senior managerin ceremonies prior to Saturday's 2 p.m. MSU-LSU game.
