BATON ROUGE — Jon Zeringue’s one-out RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted seventh-ranked LSU to a dramatic 6-5 victory over Georgia in the first contest of a three-game set Friday night at Alex Box Stadium.
The Tigers (27-9, 7-6) ended a three-game Southeastern Conference losing skid and captured their third extra-inning contest of the season. The Bulldogs fell to 21-14 overall and 5-8 in league play.
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. when LSU freshman southpaw Clay Dirks (6-0, 2.63) takes the mound against UGA junior right-hander Sean Ruthven (3-0, 3.41).
Ryan Patterson continued his recent torrid hitting, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
“I think we gained confidence with this win,” said Patterson, who extended his hitting streak to eight games. “We really never gave up and that builds character.”
Patterson delivered a critical sacrifice bunt in the 10th, advancing J.C. Holt, who had reached on a lead-off single, to second base. After Matt Liuzza was intentionally walked, Clay Harris lined a single to right field to load the bases. Zeringue followed, grounding a 1-0 Mitchell Boggs pitch the opposite way to score Holt with the winning run.
“I’m happy to bunt,” said Patterson. “I really expected to get the sign. I know we have some great hitters behind me to drive the run in.”
Zeringue finished the night 3-for-5 at the plate – his eighth three-hit game of the season.
LSU came out with an aggressive approach as both Holt and Patterson singled to start the game. Holt would later score on Clay Harris’ RBI sacrifice fly, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 advantage.
UGA catcher Clint Sammons tied the game in the third on his first homer of the year, a towering solo-shot that carried over the left field wall.
LSU regained the lead in bottom of the third but immediately relinquished it an inning later as the Bulldogs sent eight batters to the plate, pounding out four runs on five hits to jump ahead 5-2. Derek Smith and Sammons drove in two runs apiece on singles.
Patterson’s two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth cut the deficit to 5-4.
The junior right fielder delivered again in the bottom of the eighth, tripling down the right-field line to lead off the frame. He would score one hitter later on Liuzza’s RBI ground out.
Georgia mounted a threat in the ninth when Marshall Szabo doubled with one out, but he was left stranded as Greg Smith – in relief of Jason Determann – retired the next two hitters.
Determann was lifted after an outstanding eight-plus inning performance. The sophomore lefty worked 8.1 innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.
“Determann was very good,” said LSU coach Smoke Laval. “He held his composure and velocity late into the game. He was really outstanding.”
Smith (2-0) held on for his second win of the season, working 1.2 innings and allowing no runs on only one hit.
Boggs (1-1) suffered the loss, surrendering two runs on five hits in 3.1 innings.
LSU 6, Georgia 5 (Apr 16, 2004 at Baton Rouge, La.)
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Georgia…………. 001 400 000 0 – 5 9 2 (21-14, 5-8 SEC)
LSU…………….. 101 020 010 1 – 6 10 0 (27-9, 7-6 SEC)
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Pitchers: Georgia – Lubrano; Boggs(7). LSU – Determann; Smith, G.(9)
Win-Smith, G.(2-0) Loss-Boggs(1-1) T-2:36 A-8273
HR UG – Sammons (1)
HR LSU – Patterson (6)