THIBODAUX, La. — Senior right-hander Brandon Nall turned in the most impressive performance of his career on Tuesday night, tossing eight-plus innings in a 3-2 LSU victory over Nicholls State at Didier Field.
LSU (22-8) won its 15th straight game over the Colonels, who dropped to 14-16 on the season.
The Tigers’ midweek schedule continues at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Wally Pontiff Classic versus No. 11 Rice at Zephyr Field in Metairie. The contest will be televised by the Jumbo Sports Network (Cable Ch. 13 in Baton Rouge).
Junior right-hander Justin Meier (1-2, 5.31) will make his second consecutive Zephyr Field start against freshman right-hander Bobby Bell (2-0, 1.71).
Nall (2-1), making his second career start, had not thrown more than a three-inning outing over his career, but exceeded it on Tuesday in 8.1 innings of work. The Dothan, Ala. native limited NSU to six hits and two runs on an efficient 100 pitches. He walked one and struck out three.
Freshman Justin Breaux (0-3) was tagged for the loss, surrendering three runs (two earned) on seven hits in 3.2 innings.
Offensively, Ryan Patterson, Clay Harris and Nick Stavinoha combined for six of LSU’s 11 hits. Stavinoha collected two doubles and overtook the team lead in the category with 12 on the season.
The Tigers also used the bunt to their advantage, including two sacrifices by Jordan Mayer, which led to the first two runs of the game.
For the first time in 11 games, LSU scored first, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after two innings of play. Clay Harris’ RBI single in the first was part of three consecutive singles by the Tigers in the frame. Bryan Harris, making his first start since March 5 against UAB, delivered an RBI groundout in the second.
Nall had set down the first six Colonel batters in order and was off to a solid start. NSU got on the board with its first hit of the game, a one-out run-scoring double in the third by center fielder Josh Thomas.
Stavinoha’s leadoff double in the fourth sparked LSU to another run. A solid RBI single by Will Harris brought the right fielder in and the Tigers held a 3-1 lead.
Again, the Colonels responded, plating a run in the home team’s half of the fourth on Michael Roberts sacrifice fly.
Nall moved into the fifth and fell into trouble, loading the bases and having to face NSU’s leading hitter, Bubba Bell. Bell harmlessly grounded out to end the frame and leave the bases loaded.
Nall escaped a threat again in the sixth, aided by a clutch defensive play by left fielder Quinn Stewart. With the tying run on at third and one out, infielder Josh Clement lined out hard to Stewart, who came up firing in time to gun down Jose Higuera at the plate and end the inning.
Nall’s night was finished with one out in the ninth after allowing the tying run to reach on a hit batsman, but the win was preserved by the bullpen.
Jordan Faircloth turned away another scare, recording the final two outs and leaving the tying and winning runs at second and first. It was Faircloth’s fourth save in as many chances.
LSU 3, Nicholls State 2 (Apr 05, 2005 at Thibodaux, La.)
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LSU………………….. 110 100 000 – 3 11 1 (22-8)
Nicholls State…… 001 100 000 – 2 6 1 (14-16)
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Pitchers: LSU – Nall; Faircloth(9). Nicholls State – Breaux, Just; Greer, Chris(4).
Win-Nall(2-1) Save-Faircloth(4) Loss-Breaux, Just(0-3) T-2:33 A-2532