LSU Tigers rally past Golden Eagles, 8-6

Published 11:45 am Thursday, April 21, 2011

LSU erased a 6-5 Southern Miss lead Wednesday night with three eighth-inning runs for an 8-6 victory over Southern Miss at Zephyr Field in Metairie.

Ashley Graeter led the Golden Eagles (27-9) with four hits, including a single, to start a three-run eighth which gave Southern Miss its first lead since the opening inning. After a single by Kameron Brunty, who ended the night with two hits, Tyler Koelling was able to load the bases when LSU catcher Ty Ross’ errant throw on his bunt was wild.

Marc Bourgeois tied the game for the Golden Eagles with a single through the right side, scoring both Graeter and Brunty. Koelling then scored one batter later on a RBI single from Jared Bales.

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The Tigers, though, retook the advantage in the bottom of the frame as Collin Cargill entered the contest. After a walk and an infield single which Isaac Rodriguez threw past first to put runners on the corners, Ross hit one in front of home plate that the catcher, Bales, threw down the right-field line which allowed two runs to score. Trey Watkins finished the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

Cargill (4-3) suffered the loss by allowing three unearned runs on a hit and a walk, while LSU pitcher Matty Ott (1-2) threw the final two innings for the Tigers to get the victory.

“This was a tough, hard-earned win, and I’m very proud of our kids for coming back against a very good Southern Miss club,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “We showed a lot of resolve after falling behind in the eighth. Our players kept their intensity up and we were able to rally and win the game. I thought we swung the bats pretty well with 12 hits and we were able to use seven pitchers tonight in preparing for this weekend.”

Grant Dozar paced the Tigers with three hits and drove in three runs as LSU collected 12 hits. Rodriguez added three hits for Southern Miss, who tallied 15 in the contest.

The Golden Eagles take an early advantage when B.A. Vollmuth singled home Brunty, who led off the game with a double off the rightfield wall. Vollmuth, playing in his first game since straining a hip flexor last Tuesday vs. Ole Miss, finished the contest 1-for-5.

The Tigers (24-14) jumped on Golden Eagle starter Boomer Scarborough for two runs in the first as LSU tied the score with a bases-loaded walk and then went ahead for good on a Dozar RBI single.

Ross increased the lead to 3-1 in the second on a line drive for a homer to leftfield for his first of the season. Dozar then drove home a run in the third with single and then collected his second homer of the season in the sixth — a solo shot.

The Golden Eagles got RBI singles from Graeter in the fourth and Koelling in the sixth to complete the game’s scoring.