By Ryan Rogers
BATON ROUGE — LSU began its annual postseason run toward Omaha with a 19-1 victory over Jackson State in the first game of the Baton Rouge subregional Friday afternoon.
Skip Bertman, whose team improved to 44-17 on the season, was pleased with his second-seeded team’s performance.
“The boys took care of business. Ben was very efficient with 95 pitches. He got about four double plays and he did a good job of challenging them once we got a lead. The defense played very well, but of course 20-plus hits is a great thing to keep the momentum from Hoover (SEC Tournament),” said Bertman.
It was the largest margin of victory for an LSU team in regional play. It surpassed a 29-13, 16-run victory over Georgia Tech in the 1996 NCAA Regional in Baton Rouge.
LSU scored in every frame while pounding out 21 hits and five home runs. Wally Pontiff continued his hot streak with a three hit, two home run, six RBI performance in the game.
“I just wanted to go out there and play like I know I can play. I’m seeing the ball real well right now and taking some good cuts and getting some good pitches to drive,” said Pontiff.
Ben Saxon pitched the entire game for the Tigers. He gave up seven hits, one run, two walks and three strikeouts. Saxon only threw 95 pitches in the game.
“It was exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to go the distance so I could save the pitching staff. I didn’t have the sharpest stuff today, but I battled hard and hung in there and finished the game,” said Saxon.
The Tigers got on the board in the first when Brad Hawpe doubled down the right field line scoring Cedrick Harris who reached base on a fielder’s choice. Mike Fontenot singled home Hawpe and the Tigers led 2-0 after one inning.
After scoring another run in second inning, LSU rallied for four runs in the third inning. Johnnie Thibodeaux walked and Pontiff hit his first of two home runs. Jeremy Witten followed with a home run giving the Tigers back-to-back homeruns. Cresse would later single in Harris to cap of the four run inning.
Jackson State’s Elvis Nelson hit a homerun in the top of the fourth inning for Jackson State’s only run. Nelson was 3-for-3 in the game with two additional singles.
LSU responded by scoring four more runs in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Fontenot started with a single. Thibodeaux followed with a double, and then Pontiff hit his second home run to score all three runners. Hawpe singled Witten home to finish the scoring in the inning.
LSU hit the natural cycle in the fifth. Fontenot led off with a home run. Wright followed with a triple, and then Pontiff doubled scoring Wright. Witten singled to complete the cycle. He would score on a groundout RBI by Theriot and the Tigers led 15-1 after five innings.
Brad Cresse smashed his 26th home run with a towering shot over the left field wall. The Tigers led 16-1 after six innings.
The Tiger reserves came into the game and added three more runs in the late innings. His was highlighted by Jeff Lipari’s double off the wall that scored Pontiff.
Jackson State’s pitching was beat up in the contest. Starter pitcher Lavon Lane gave up 11 hits, 11 runs and four walks in three innings pitched. Adrian Jones came in and didn’t fair much better. He gave up six hits, and four runs in 2.1 innings pitched.