by Chris Macaluso
LSUsports.net
(5/5/01)
Three weeks ago, the list of questions needing answers was long and varied for LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman.
Who would step into the second and third starting pitching roles? Would his team emerge from a fielding slump that saw it commit 24 errors in seven games? Would pitcher Bo Pettit recover from what Bertman described as a “dead arm?”And would his team be able to stay in its precarious perch atop the Southeastern Conference standings?
All these queries ran through Bertman’s head as he filled out line-up cards in early April.
But with two weekend SEC series remaining in the regular season and LSU poised at the top of the standings with a one game lead, the answers are starting to become a lot clearer.
The Tigers have won eight straight games including a three-game sweep at rival Alabama last weekend and culminating in a 12-1 romp over the University of New Orleans Tuesday night.
The sweep moved LSU’s SEC record to 17-7, one game better than Ole Miss at 16-8 and two games better than Georgia at 15-9. Tiger starting pitchers Lane Mestepey, Jason Scobie and Tim Nugent gave up just five earned runs to the dangerous Crimson Tide line-up. Mestepey dominated Alabama, surrendering just four hits in his second complete game of the year to run his record to 8-1. Nugent improved to 6-1 by allowing just three hits on Sunday.
Relief pitchers Roy Corcoran, Shane Youman, Brad David, Weylin Guidry and Brian Wilson carried their share as well, surrendering just three runs in six and one third innings.
“Our pitching in the last eight games has been really good,” Bertman said. “The most improved aspect of our team right now is the pitching of Nugent, Wilson, Brad David and Scobie.”
And that aspect may be improved even more if Bo Pettit’s three innings of one hit ball Tuesday against UNO is an indication he’s ready to return to the Tiger rotation.
Pettit, a sophomore from Houston, has proven he’s capable of dominating games as evidenced by his 4-0 record this year and 2.14 ERA. But a rash of injuries has kept him from becoming a regular on the Tiger staff.
Against UNO, Pettit struck out 5 of 12 batters faced and consistently threw 90-plus mile per hour fast balls for strikes.
Bertman said he hopes to put Pettit on the mound this weekend when LSU travels to Arkansas for a three-game trip. The Razorbacks are in last place in the SEC Western Division at 8-16 in conference play.
“Pettit will pitch Sunday as long as he’s healthy,” Bertman said. “He doesn’t have to start or he could start and come out early.”
Bertman said Pettit will most likely come out of the bullpen in relief of Nugent.
Wilson, according to Bertman, will likely be counted on as the Tigers closer the rest of the season. The freshman right-hander out of Londonderry, N.H. threw eight-straight strikes, five of which were 91 mile an hour fast balls, to close out Tuesday’s game.
“Being the closer is a very important role because you have to be able to finish a game,” Wilson said. “As the season has progressed I’ve been able to throw more strikes and I feel more confident. By being the closer now, I have to be more aggressive and throw more strikes.”
Bertman said he believes his whole team is playing more aggressive at this point than earlier in the season. The Tiger hitters lead the SEC with a .322 batting average and 395 runs batted in. And the Tigers have cut down on the errors as well, fielding a league best .973 in conference games.
The improved play must continue if LSU expects to claim the top spot in the SEC when the season ends in two weeks. After this weekend’s contests in Arkansas, the Tigers travel home to face Auburn to close out the regular season.
“I think Arkansas will play hard. They’re tough.” Bertman said. “They can beat you. But I don’t think there’s much of a chance of us looking ahead. Auburn’s just like Arkansas. But at least we’ve got them at home.”