BATON ROUGE — LSU pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of three Jacksonville State errors, while Lane Mestepey made a successful return to Alex Box Stadium, allowing the Tigers to clinch their weekend series with the Gamecocks with a 14-2 victory Saturday afternoon.
LSU (No. 2 Baseball America, No. 4 Collegiate Baseball, No. 5 ESPN/Sports Weekly) will go after its first series sweep Sunday since April of 2003 when the Tigers won three games against Tennessee.
LSU freshman left-hander Clay Dirks (0-0, 4.76) is scheduled to take to the mound for the noon start on Sunday, while JSU has yet to announce a starter.
Sunday’s game can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network and at www.LSUsports.net. Tickets are available at www.LSUsports.net or at the Alex Box Stadium ticket window beginning at 10 a.m.
The Tigers (5-1) used a five-run second and two four-run innings in the sixth and seventh to pull away from the Gamecocks (1-2). LSU has outscored the Gamecocks 20-3 in the first two games of the series.
Mestepey (2-0) picked up his first win at Alex Box Stadium since May 18, 2002, when he defeated Alabama. The junior left-hander went six innings, allowing one run on six hits, while adding four strikeouts.
LSU trailed JSU, 1-0, for the second consecutive day. After Mestepey retired the first two batters of the game on back-to-back strikeouts, designated hitter Robby Goodson drove a 2-2 pitch just over the right field wall for his first homer of the season.
LSU erupted for five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Nick Stavinoha started the rally by reaching on an error by third baseman Clint Carroll. After Clay Harris drew a walk, Matt Liuzza drove a single back up the middle to plate Stavinoha.
Ivan Naccarata followed and picked up his second and third RBI of the season by singling up the middle to extend the lead to 3-1. Matt Horwath reached on a fielder’s choice to plate Naccarata. Ryan Patterson then doubled to left field to score Horwath and close out the inning.
JSU starter Danny Andres (0-1) was relieved in the fifth by right-hander Jon Clements, only to surrender four straight hits to start the inning. Ryan Patterson singled up the middle for the second time on the day.
Blake Gill and Nick Stavinoha followed with singles of their own, setting the table for Clay Harris. After Patterson came home on a wild pitch, Harris drove a sharp line-drive that carried past center fielder Jason Horn and rolled all the way to the wall. The junior first baseman wound up at third, collecting two RBI and the second triple of his career.
Patterson finished 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, while Harris’ two RBI extended his team lead to eight on the season.
LSU added four more runs in the seventh, highlighted by Ty Jensen’s pinch-hit two-RBI single.
Andres took the loss after working four innings and allowing three earned runs on six hits and one walk.
JSU (1-2) 100 000 100 — 2 8 3
LSU (5-1) 050 041 40X — 14 14 1
WP — Mestepey (2-0) LP — Andres (0-1)
E — Carroll (4), Ball (1), Horn (1); Hebert (1) LOB — JSU 6; LSU 4
2B — Smith (1), Pearson (1), Tucker (1); Patterson (2), Zeringue (3) 3B — Harris, C. (2) HR — Goodson (1)
Time — 2:44 Att. — 7,528 (paid); 4,174 (actual)