COLEMAN GETS BOTH WINS AS THE TIGERS TAKE THE SERIES 2-1 OVER THE WILDCATS

Bryan Lazare
TigerBait.com Senior Writer


It was time for Louis Coleman to do his best Jared Bradford impersonation Sunday afternoon.

After being beaten 5-2 by Kentucky in the first game of a doubleheader, LSU needed a pitcher to give a solid outing in the rubber of the series.

Louis Coleman put in a "Bradford-like" performance
Coleman, who pitched to nine batters in recording the victory Friday night, accepted the challenge two days later. He responded with a four-hitter as the Tigers earned a split of the twinbill with a 3-1 victory.

Last year, Bradford was the hurler LSU coach Paul Mainieri used as both a closer and a starter during Southeastern Conference series. In the first conference series in 2009, Mainieri used Coleman in the same role.

"I told Louis after the game that it was a performance Jared Bradford would have been proud of," Mainieri said. "The story today was Louis Coleman. After we lost the first game, I decided to start him. I needed somebody to get us off to a good start."

Coleman, who also threw two innings in relief last Wednesday against Louisiana-Lafayette, was not overpowering against the Wildcats (12-4, 1-2). He gave up four hits, hit two batters and struck out six.

"After throwing almost three innings Friday, I was just pitching one inning at a time today," Coleman said. "I didn't know if I was going to be able to hold up for seven innings.

"But, I got stronger as the game went on. My arm felt better. I hadn't pitched seven innings in two or three years."

Kentucky scored its run in the second on a double by Troy Frazier and a single by Spencer Korus, who took second on a throw to the plate. Coleman got out of the inning when Andy Burns lined into a double play to second baseman Ryan Schimpf.

Coleman also pitched out of jams in the first and third innings. With two on and two out in the first, Coleman struck out Chad Wright. With a runner at second and one out in the third, Coleman struck out Keenan Wiley and got Braden Kapteyn to ground out.

"I didn't necessarily feel pressure," Coleman said. "I tell guys to do stuff this way and do stuff that way. Being one of the leaders on the team, it was my time to back up what I have been preaching."

The Tigers, who only had six hits in the first-game loss, did very little offensively in the nightcap. LSU scored a first-inning run thanks primarily to Jared Mitchell. After drawing a leadoff walk, Mitchell stole second and third. He scored on Tyler Hanover's fly ball.

Wildcats pitcher Alex Meyer did not allow a hit until the fourth, but it was a decisive one. With one out, DJ LeMahieu walked and stole second when Schimpf swung and missed on a hit-and-run. With a 0-2 count, Schimpf hit a homer over the rightfield fence.

"It was a little slider," said Schimpf, who struck out three times in the opener. "He kept it down. I was trying to keep the inning alive. Today was tough. But, that's the good thing about baseball. You can just flush it."

The Tigers (13-4, 2-1) finished with just eight hits in the doubleheader. Only Sean Ochinko and LeMahieu had two hits for the day – both in the opener.

"We saw a lot of great arms this weekend," Schimpf said. "All of us, myself especially, have to do a better job of hitting in the clutch."

LSU's runs in the first game came in the fourth on a walk to Mitchell, a double by Micah Gibbs and a single by Leon Landry. Those runs left the Tigers behind the Wildcats 3-2. LSU had one opportunity to tie the score two innings later.

Trying to protect a 4-2 lead, Kentucky starter Chris Rusin gave up a leadoff double to Ochinko and a one-out walk to Gibbs. The threat ended when Landry struck out and Derek Helenihi hit into a force play.

Austin Ross gave up four runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts in six innings in the first game. Ross was not up to task to matching Rusin, an all-SEC pitcher a year ago. Daniel Bradshaw allowed a run in the seventh.

Blake Dean remained in his slump as he went hitless in five at-bats in the doubleheader. Schimpf was hitless for the day until his two-run homer. Mitchell stole four bases in the nightcap which tied the LSU record.

"I feel like we survived this weekend," Mainieri said. "We won Friday because of a tremendous starting pitcher (Anthony Ranaudo) and a tremendous relief pitcher (Coleman).

"Then, that same relief pitcher was a tremendous starting pitcher Sunday. That's why we won the series. I think Kentucky outplayed us this weekend."

The Tigers will return to action Tuesday night when they play host to Northwestern State at The Box. McNeese State will visit Wednesday night. LSU will travel to South Carolina next weekend.