BATON ROUGE — LSU erupted for four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to break a 4-4 tie and defeat the Alumni team, 8-4, in Alex Box Stadium.
The exhibition contest pitted the 2003 LSU squad versus a team of former Tigers currently active in professional baseball.
LSU, ranked as high as No. 6 in the pre-season polls, opens the 2003 regular season at 6:30 p.m. Friday versus Northwestern State in Alex Box Stadium.
The Tigers scored four runs on five hits in the eighth to secure the win.
Center fielder Bruce Sprowl led off the inning with a single and scored on right fielder Jon Zeringue’s double. Shortstop Matt Horwath singled before catcher Matt Liuzza drove in two runs with a triple.
Liuzza scored on a double by left fielder Ryan Patterson to give LSU the 8-4 advantage.
LSU trailed 4-2 through 5 1/2 innings, but the Tigers scored one run in the sixth on Liuzza’s fielder’s choice grounder and the tying run in the seventh on a solo homer by designated hitter Quinn Stewart.
Sprowl led the Tigers with three hits while Liuzza had a team-best three RBI.
Right fielder Brad Hawpe was 2-for-4 for the Alumni with one RBI.
Reliever Jason Determann earned the win for LSU, pitching a scoreless eighth inning while allowing one hit.
Alumni pitcher Jason Scobie was charged with the loss, as he surrendered four runs on five hits in the bottom of the eighth.