BATON ROUGE — For the second consecutive day, LSU exploded for double-digit runs, using a 12-run fourth inning to sweep Jacksonville State, 19-1, in the series finale Sunday afternoon at Alex Box Stadium.
The game was called at the end of the seventh inning by a mutual agreement between the teams’ coaches.
LSU improved to 6-1 with the victory; Jacksonville State dropped to 1-3.
The 19 runs is the most by LSU since June 6, 2003, when the Tigers scored 20 against Baylor in the final game of the NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regional. The Tigers’ 20 hits are the most since collecting 20 against Loyola on May 6, 2003.
During the three-game set, LSU outscored the Gamecocks 39-4, amassing 44 hits, the most in a three-game series since April of 2003 when the Tigers racked up 44 runs on 47 hits in a sweep of Tennessee.
Clay Dirks (1-0) earned his first collegiate victory, pitching superbly in five innings of work. The Hernando, Miss. native gave up one unearned run on four hits while adding six strikeouts. Dirks struck out the side in the first.
JSU starter C.R. Palmer (0-1) took the loss, surrendering four runs, three earned, on six hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Jon Zeringue ignited the 12-run fourth inning by driving a leadoff double to deep center field. Two batters later, Ryan Patterson picked up his second hit of the day, smashing a double to left field to score J.C. Holt. Ivan Naccarata picked up two RBI, singling to center field, plating Nick Stavinoha and Blake Gill.
Holt would make his way back to the plate seven runs later. The preseason all-America selection picked up his third hit of the day, ripping a single back up the middle to score Derek Hebert and Naccarata.
By the completion of the inning, the Tigers had sent 16 batters to the plate, scoring 12 runs on 11 hits, including two by Patterson.
Holt finished the game 3-for-3 with three runs, a stolen base and two RBI, while Patterson collected his second-consecutive three-hit game, going 3- for-4 with two doubles, three runs and two RBI.
LSU (No. 2 Baseball America, No. 4 Collegiate Baseball, No. 5 ESPN/Sports Weekly) will travel to Metairie, La. on Wednesday to face Southeastern Louisiana in the first-annual Wally Pontiff Jr. Baseball Classic. Tickets for the 6:30 p.m. game are on sale at the Southeastern athletic ticket office (985-549-5466), located at gate 3 of the University Center. Tickets are also on sale at the Zephyr Field box office (504-734-5155) or at any Ticketmaster locations (800-488-5252).
JSU (1-3) 001 0 00 0
LSU (6-1) 022 (12) 30 X
WP — Dirks (1-0)
LP — Palmer (0-1)
E — Pearson (2), Pettus (2); Harris, C. (2), Naccarata (1), Horwath (1) LOB — JSU 6; LSU 7 2B — Pearson (2), Ruckdeschel (1); Patterson 2 (3), Zeringue (4), Hebert (1) SB — Holt (2)
Time — 2:30
Att. — 7,494 (paid) 4,104 (actual)