LSU baseball team feels impact of changed nutrition habits in 2012
The seventh-inning stretch is a popular time for fans in the stands of Alex Box Stadium to get out of their seats, sing a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” and get a last-minute refreshment.
But for senior shortstop Austin Nola, the seventh inning is a chance to grab a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the dugout and refuel for the final stretch of the game.
Nola began the ritual this past summer when he started feeling weak in the final innings while playing for the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod League.
“I talked to a doctor, and he said maybe I should try eating something during the game that sticks to your stomach, so I tried a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Nola said. “It worked; now I feel like I can play another game.”
Nola and many other players on the LSU baseball team have embraced a wave of positive nutritional and fitness changes this season.
Players are practicing better nutritional habits than they did a year ago, making healthier choices and keeping their bodies nourished throughout games. The players and coaches credit the newfound lifestyle to a heightened awareness from the team’s staff, adjustments to team meals and players’ individual efforts.
The No. 3-ranked team has reaped the rewards on the diamond, boasting a 32-9 (12-6 SEC) record with four conference series remaining, surpassing last year’s 24-17 (4-14) mark at the same point.
“There’s definitely been more conversations about nutrition this season,” said Jon Michelini, associate athletic trainer. “The more you talk about it, the more it affects them and their eating choices. The changes have helped us this season and will hopefully help down the line.”
Sophomore catcher Ty Ross and junior pitcher Joey Bourgeois made the greatest transformations from the 2011 to 2012 season. Both players slimmed down in the offseason and are enjoying more productive 2012 campaigns.
Ross and Bourgeois’ individual statistics have been impressive this season, but the team as a whole has also made progress in many statistical categories, especially in late innings.
After six SEC series last season, LSU held a 5-7 record in one-run games and only scored a total of six runs in the ninth inning. This season they are 10-4 in games decided by one run and have scored 13 runs in the ninth inning through six conference series.
“It’s not like we weren’t in good shape last year, but during that last inning we now feel like we’re at the best of our game,” Ross said.
Ross and the other LSU players, are guided by Michelini and two other staff members — Jamie Mascari, coordinator of nutrition, and Jeremy Phillips, strength and conditioning coordinator. The three work closely with the team throughout the season to assist with health and fitness needs.
Michelini and Ross Brezovsky, coordinator of baseball operations, initiated one of the biggest changes in the team’s diets by transforming the team’s traditional pregame meal.
During the 2011 season, team members typically ate a sandwich with a bag of Zapp’s potato chips and a Milky Way candy bar. A typical pregame meal this season consists of a sandwich, a Nature Valley granola bar and a piece of fruit.
“Jon has done a great job changing our eating habits,” Ross said. “He doesn’t let us eat things like candy anymore because it may give you a rush at the beginning of the game, but it wears off at the end.”
Instead of LSU’s pregame meals consisting of greasy potato chips and candy, this season they feature healthy options such as fruit and whole grains.
Ross made drastic changes in his diet in the offseason, shedding 30 pounds since the end of the 2011 campaign.
“The biggest thing for me was changing my diet up,” Ross said. “I’m eating a lot cleaner and eating more meals throughout the day. I’m in a good state of mind, and I feel healthier. It really changed my whole life completely.”
Ross is third on the team with a .307 batting average and 29 RBIs this season, while last season he only batted .223.
LSU coach Paul Mainieri pointed out that numbers don’t tell the full story of Ross’ rise from freshman to sophomore year.
“He hit a triple the other night,” Mainieri said. “He couldn’t have dreamed of hitting a triple last year. Last year he had trouble scoring from second on singles.”
Besides a newfound burst of speed this season, Ross said he’s noticed improved concentration during games.
“It’s a mental thing,” Ross said. “If you know you’re putting the best stuff into your body, you’re also stronger mentally. So when you’re out there on the field, you’re as prepared as you can be.”
Bourgeois, one of the many pitchers Ross catches for behind the plate, also used the offseason to slim down. The 2012 LSU roster lists Bourgeois as 190 pounds, which is 34 pounds lighter than he was during the 2010 season.
The Paulina, La., native, posted a 6.68 ERA with opponents hitting .282 against him in 2010.
This season Bourgeois has a 2.40 ERA with 22 strikeouts, while opponents are only hitting .180 against the right-hander in 17 appearances. He missed the entire 2011 season recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow.
“Those are guys that have changed their diet tremendously,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said about Ross and Bourgeois. “Their body shapes have changed tremendously, and they’ve played better. They’ve really reaped the benefits of getting in shape.”
Besides offseason training, eating habits during the grind of a 56-game season are also a part of the players’ nutritional regime. Many of LSU’s players have unique eating traditions during the season.
“I eat Zoe’s Kitchen every game day,” LSU junior outfielder Raph Rhymes said. “I don’t know what it is, but that’s my deal. I eat the same thing — grilled chicken sandwich.”
Sophomore pitcher Kevin Gausman’s custom is not as health conscious as Rhymes’ ritual.
The Friday night starter eats four powdered donuts between every inning he pitches.
The tradition started in sixth grade when Gausman asked his mom to bring him something to eat during a game, and she showed up with powdered donuts. Gausman ate them throughout the game and ended up having one of the best outings of his young career. Since then, he’s continued the custom through high school and college.
“I always have to be munching on something,” Gausman said. “It calms my nerves, but it also gives me that sugar high.”
Some players like Gausman take it upon themselves to bring food into the dugout, but the LSU training staff does provide various snacks, such as PowerBar products and trail mix, for the team.
Gausman’s choice to satisfy his sweet tooth between innings wouldn’t necessarily be Mascari or Michelini’s recommendation. Four powdered donuts contain 230 calories and 16 grams of sugar.
But the calorie overload hasn’t slowed down the Friday night starter. Gausman leads the team with a 7-1 record and a 3.00 ERA in 69 innings pitched, throwing 88 strikeouts.
Mascari said she tried warning Gausman about his unhealthy habit, but she couldn’t steer him away from his ritual.
In contrast with Gausman’s sugary selection, Nola’s choice of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich during the seventh inning is a more nutritious selection and earns a stamp of approval from the LSU staff.
“In a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you have carbs, healthy fats and some protein,” Mascari said. “That’s a perfect choice.”
LSU to span the Southeast during five SEC road trips this season, starting with Auburn
LSU third baseman Tyler Hanover heard familiar names coming from complete strangers in the stands of Auburn’s Samford Stadium in April of 2010.
“They knew my mom’s name, my dad’s name, my sister’s name,” Hanover said with a look of amazement. “They were saying a bunch of stuff about them.”
The verbal abuse Hanover faced as a sophomore from the fans in 2010 is now routine for the senior every time he takes third base in an SEC stadium donning the forbidden colors of purple and gold near opposing student sections.
“They check your Facebook. They check Twitter. They try to get your girlfriend’s name,” Hanover said, laughing. “They’re just trying to get under your skin. It just makes it more entertaining for me.”
Hanover will return to Samford Stadium this weekend for the first time since 2010 as the LSU baseball team travels to Auburn, Ala., for its first of five SEC road series of the season.
The trips, which include other destinations such as Lexington, Ky., Oxford, Miss., Columbia, S.C., and Gainesville, Fla., are business-oriented for the Tigers, but they also enhance camaraderie among the players.
“It’s really a huge team-bonding experience,” sophomore catcher Ty Ross said. “For four days straight it’s you and your teammates trying to get the job done and win baseball games.”
Here’s a map of LSU’s road trips this season. Click on each location to find out more about each opposing team:
LSU will travel 5,760 total miles during the five road trips, taking in the sights and sounds of the Southeast.
“Every environment you go play in this league is pretty good, but they’re all different,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “Most of them are pretty unique in their own way.”
The longest outing is a 1,600-mile round-trip May 14 to Lexington, Ken., to face the Wildcats, while the shortest trip is a 690-mile trek to Oxford. Miss., on April 24.
“You love going into another stadium playing another team because it’s just a different environment,” senior shortstop Austin Nola said. “You get to go out there and just battle and compete because you know the other team’s going to give you their best.”
The Tigers, who have a strong history of success in the SEC, embrace entering opposing stadiums with targets on their backs.
“People like to beat us,” Ross said. “But I kind of like it. I like when people are yelling at you and stuff and you can prove them wrong.”
LSU typically departs Baton Rouge by bus Thursday afternoon after classes and arrives at the opposition’s stadium for a light practice Thursday night.
Even though the players get to escape classes Friday, they are required to attend a study hall after the team breakfast Friday morning before the opening game of the series.
“Teachers are very understandable,” Hanover said. “We come out in the beginning of the semester and give them travel letters so they know each and every day that we miss, but on the road, unfortunately, we still have school work.”
The team does find some time for leisure through all of the studying.
“It really depends on the schedule,” Ross said. “Maybe if we have an early game Saturday we’ll try to see the campus or something. If not, we just hang out in the hotel and play cards or something.”
After the final game of the series, the team boards the buses again for the return trip to Baton Rouge.
Finding success on the field between the traveling has been a struggle for LSU the past two seasons. The Tigers finished both the 2011 and 2010 seasons with a 4-11 SEC record away from the friendly confines of Alex Box Stadium.
“Away series are a whole different approach,” Ross said. “The other team doesn’t like you normally, and that’s how it is. When a team knows LSU is coming to town, they get everyone out there.”
Even though the past two seasons have been challenging on the road, the Tigers have been able to string together wins in the SEC under Mainieri.
LSU went 10-5 in the conference away from Baton Rouge during the 2009 season, which concluded with the team’s sixth national championship.
Two of those wins in 2009 came against then-No.1 Georgia in Athens when LSU was ranked No. 2 in the nation. LSU stole the first and third games of the series, but the Bulldogs buried the Tigers, 10-8, on Saturday.
“I remember going on the road and playing Georgia my freshman year,” Nola said. “We went out there Friday night and played unbelievably, but Saturday you can play as good as you want, but the other team always puts together a good game after you beat them on Friday.”
LSU junior outfielder Raph Rhymes, who is leading the team with a .475 batting average, will be an integral player in the Tigers' offense as LSU travels on the road in the SEC.
This season the Tigers won’t make the trip to Georgia, but a few road series stand out for the LSU players.
Ross, a native of Naples, Fla., circled the series against Florida on April 5 on his schedule before the season began.
“I know a lot of guys on the team there,” Ross said. “I got all my family and friends going to the game. I’m looking forward to that.”
South Carolina is another anticipated road series. The Gamecocks’ new stadium, Carolina Stadium, was constructed in 2009 with a capacity of 9,000 fans.
“South Carolina’s pretty cool,” Mainieri said. “South Carolina built their stadium about the same time we built ours, so it’s really nice and a great environment.”
South Carolina won the national championship the past two seasons, making the series even more intriguing for many of the LSU players.
But Hanover has a special incentive for LSU’s game April 20 in Lexington, Ky.
“When I went to Kentucky one year, they told me I should be in the Kentucky Derby,” Hanover laughed. “Being 5-foot-6, I get a lot of heckling over there on third base. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about that.”
Nola’s rough start leads to LSU’s first conference loss but Tigers still claim series against Mississippi State
The Mississippi State batters sent a clear message to LSU freshman pitcher Aaron Nola during their first inning against the Tigers Sunday afternoon — welcome to the SEC.
The Bulldogs’ first four batters bullied Nola in his first conference start by blasting two doubles and a single, and the rest of the lineup continued to pressure the freshman to jump to a 5-0 lead in the first inning.
The LSU bats couldn’t overcome the early deficit as the Tigers (16-4, 2-1 SEC) suffered their first conference loss, 7-1, on Sunday in Alex Box Stadium. The Tigers took the first two games of the series against Mississippi State (15-7, 1-2) earlier in the weekend.
“I didn’t have as much command as I would have liked to start,” Nola said. “All of the hitters in the SEC are great. If you make a mistake, they are going to make you pay for it.”
Even though LSU ended the weekend on a sour note, the team came out with the series win after edging the Bulldogs in exciting fashion Friday and Saturday.
The Tigers clinched Friday night’s game, 3-2, with a game-winning hit by sophomore second baseman JaCoby Jones in the bottom of the 10th inning. LSU claimed Saturday’s contest, 4-3, after getting off to a fast start with a two-run home run by junior first baseman Mason Katz in the first inning.
“Everybody was so exited,” junior right fielder Raph Rhymes said. “Wins like that will drain you and two in a row — it’s awesome, it’s fun. We came out here wanting to get a sweep, though.”
Nola, who entered the weekend with a 3-0 record and 1.80 ERA during three weekday starts, said he treated Sunday’s game like any other he’s pitched so far this season. However, the Bulldogs took advantage of his young arm in the first inning.
Mississippi State sophomore shortstop Adam Frazier, the first hitter Nola faced, doubled to right field, and then Nola hit freshman left fielder Tyler Fullerton with a pitch.
Mississippi State junior designated hitter Trey Porter cashed in on Nola’s mistake, singling to right field to score Frazier. Sophomore centerfielder Hunter Renfroe, the fourth batter Nola saw, doubled down the left field line and gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
Even though Nola was able to get a pop-up from his next batter, the offensive onslaught didn’t stop from the Bulldogs. Mississippi State redshirt freshman right fielder Demarcus Henderson and redshirt freshman first baseman Wes Rea both doubled to left field later in the inning, putting the finishing touches on the 5-0 start for the Bulldogs.
“I wasn’t really nervous. I’ve done this a thousand times,” Nola said. “I missed my spots, and they made me pay for it.”
Nola recovered from the rough first inning, only giving up one more run, and he remained in the game until the seventh inning.
“What Aaron Nola did after the first inning proved why I have such confidence in that kid,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “I was just totally proud of him that he had the courage to not give up. He went back out there in the second inning very determined.”
LSU coach Paul Mainieri once again won a weekend series against Mississippi State, extending his streak of claiming the series against the Bulldogs in every season during his tenure.
LSU sophomore pitcher Kurt McCune, the typical Sunday starter until this past weekend, came in to relieve Nola in the seventh inning and got three batters out in order.
“McCune was great,” Mainieri said. “I thought that was the highlight of the day. He came in and threw the ball tremendously. That’s going to be a good role for him.”
The LSU offense could have avenged Nola’s rocky start, but it didn’t help the freshman making his first SEC start.
The Tigers got their sole run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Ty Ross grounded out to third base, scoring Jones who singled to center field to start the inning.
LSU tallied 10 hits in Sunday’s game but only 11 in the other two games against Mississippi State combined.
“The level of hitting this weekend is not going to be enough for the SEC,” Mainieri said. “You’re going to face a high-caliber pitcher in this league every day.”
LSU junior first baseman Mason Katz takes the plate against Mississippi State. The Tigers struggled to get timely hitting Sunday, only getting one run off 10 hits.
Mental mistakes also plagued LSU on Sunday. The Tigers committed three errors and twice lost track of the amount of outs.
“Those things are hard to explain,” Mainieri said. “These Sundays have been a struggle for us. I know that playing three days in a row is a grind, especially when the first two games are emotional and you’re putting your heart and soul into it.”
A lot of that emotion came Friday night when the game ended with a barrage of LSU players running toward junior pinch runner Arby Fields at home plate to celebrate the victory.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th inning, Jones hit a game-winning shot to centerfield, bringing home Fields for the 3-2 win.
“That was one of the more exciting games I’ve been a part of,” Rhymes said. “The way our team came together — I’ve never been a part of something like that. It was pretty exciting.”
The arm of LSU ace pitcher Kevin Gausman put the Tigers in good position before the walk-off by Jones. Gausman, the SEC Pitcher of the Week last week, threw 122 pitches with 11 strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work Friday night, only allowing four hits.
Saturday was another nail-biter for the hordes of fans at Alex Box Stadium.
The Tigers had an early lead after a two-run home run in the first inning by Katz. LSU starting pitcher sophomore Ryan Eades kept the Bulldogs at bay during the beginning of the game, tossing seven strong innings and only giving up one run.
Mississippi State made a charge at LSU in the eighth and ninth innings, getting a run in each, but LSU junior pitcher Nick Goody sealed the deal in the bottom of the ninth by striking out Porter with two outs and runners at first and second.
LSU will get a couple of days of rest after the exhilarating weekend before taking the field again Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. to play Southern at Alex Box Stadium.
Pitcher Chris Cotton sheds walk-on label to excel in LSU bullpen
When visiting teams take the batter’s box at LSU’s Alex Box Stadium in the first inning, they often see a strikingly similar set of characteristics in the opposing pitcher standing on the mound.
LSU’s highly touted weekend rotation of pitchers Kevin Gausman, Ryan Eades and Kurt McCune includes all second-year right-handed hurlers throwing heat around 90 mph from the height of at least 6 feet 3 inches.
The view from the batter’s box drastically changes when the starters exit the game, especially if LSU junior pitcher Chris Cotton comes in to relieve one of the stars of the pitching staff.
Cotton, a 5-foot-10-inch left-handed walk-on, doesn’t share the prestige, velocity or stature of LSU’s starting pitchers, but his impact on the field has been crucial to the success of the Tigers through the early part of the 2012 campaign.
Entering Wednesday night’s game against Northwestern State, Cotton appeared in a team-high seven games with a 1.69 ERA in 5.1 innings.
“He’s proven he belongs here,” Gausman said. “It’s really good when you have a team like that with studs and guys that can throw one inning.”
Cotton struck out seven of the 20 batters he faced this season, only giving up four hits and one earned run.
“Isn’t he something?” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “Chris does not have overpowering stuff, but he’s one of my favorite pitchers because he has the best pitch in baseball in his repertoire – a strike.”
Cotton enjoys his role in the later innings as a stopgap between the starters and closers.
“I feel comfortable wherever Coach Mainieri places me,” Cotton said. “He chooses me to go out in those situations. If he gives me the confidence, I feel like I can do what he wants me to do.”
Mainieri used to pick on Cotton because of his walk-on status, but his performances on the field have silenced the coach.
“He gets mad at me when I call him a walk-on,” Mainieri said. “I’m not going to call him a walk-on anymore. He was a walk-on three years ago, but now he’s become a real integral part of our program.”
One of the reasons Cotton emerged as a great weapon out of the bullpen is his ability to throw with his left arm, which is an advantage against left-handed hitters.
“The fact he’s left-handed helps,” Mainieri said. “The type of pitcher he is gives us something different than some of the hard throwers we have on the staff.”
Only four other pitchers are lefties: junior college transfer Brent Bonvillain and freshmen Christian Trent, Aaron Johnson and Cody Glenn.
“We bring him in to get a left-handed hitter, and he’s got to get that guy,” Gausman said.
Cotton was called to do that job against rival Tulane on March 6 in New Orleans. He took the mound at the top of the ninth inning and forced a groundout from Tulane left-handed junior left fielder Brandon Boudreaux. Immediately after the out, Mainieri replaced Cotton with junior pitcher Nick Goody.
“If it’s one inning, one batter, three innings – I don’t care,” Cotton said. “It’s whatever he needs, and hopefully I can do the job.”
Cotton takes the mound more often than most other LSU pitchers, but his load is much lighter than the starters. He’ll often throw a handful of pitches in a night compared to a weekend starter, who could toss at least 80 pitches.
“We’re always messing with him when he walks in the dugout, telling him ‘Hey, go do your arm care, man. You got to go get your arm stronger,’” Gausman joked.
Cotton said he enjoys his role as a reliever and cherishes the opportunity to play as a walk-on.
In his longer stints on the mound, Cotton’s been able to take advantage of his changeup, switching between pitches around 85 mph and ones hovering around 75 mph.
“If you keep going back and forth, it’s hard for the hitters to time it so that fastball at 85 looks like it’s 95 because he changes speeds so effectively,” Mainieri said.
Mainieri put in the unheralded reliever with two outs and a man on first base in a 4-4 game in the bottom of the eighth inning against Dartmouth on March 4.
Cotton ended the eighth inning by forcing a pop out for the third out. He went on to close the game in the ninth inning by retiring the first three batters in order. LSU beat the Big Green, 5-4, after a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning by senior third baseman Tyler Hanover.
“Cotton’s a guy that comes in whenever guys are on base,” McCune said. “He’s a guy that needs to come in and close the door on them.”
As a high school recruit out of C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport, La., Cotton wasn’t projected to eventually close a game for a prestigious baseball program like LSU.
He earned the title of Shreveport/Bossier All-City Pitcher of the Year as a senior, going 9-1 with a 1.46 ERA, but only a few junior colleges, including Northwest Florida State, offered a scholarship to the undersized pitcher.
“I liked [Northwest Florida State], but I had to go to LSU,” Cotton said. “It wasn’t really a tough choice. I was going to come here no matter what.”
Cotton made the team right before the 2010 season opener and had an impact in his first season. He recorded 18 relief appearances as a freshman, including a shutout performance in two innings of work against Northwestern State in his hometown of Shreveport on April 20, 2010.
Since then, he’s continued to provide a steady arm for the LSU pitching staff and has defined a role for himself in the bullpen and locker room.
“He’s one of those guys that won’t really talk to you unless you talk to him, and then he just won’t stop talking,” Gausman said.
Unlike Gausman and the other starting pitchers who attract MLB scouts to all of their performances, Cotton draws the most attention in the stands from his parents, Jim and Alisa Cotton.
But that is perfectly fine with him.
“I feel like this is going to be my peak, and I’m happy with that,” Cotton said. “This is the greatest college baseball atmosphere in the country. It’s all still a dream.”
Hanover’s walk-off double gives LSU win, series against Dartmouth
Fifteen LSU baseball players contributed in Sunday afternoon’s game against Dartmouth, but an unexpected participant — Mother Nature — might have made the biggest play of the contest.
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the game tied at 4-4, LSU senior third baseman Tyler Hanover hammered a shot straight toward Dartmouth senior outfielder Jake Carlson.
But Carlson couldn’t come up with the catch and lost sight of the ball in the blistering sun and blustering wind.
LSU senior shortstop Austin Nola, who was on first base, sped to home plate in time to give LSU (10-2) the walk-off win, 5-4, against Dartmouth (0-3) and the weekend series sweep of the Big Green at Alex Box Stadium.
“You could say it was strategically placed,” Hanover joked after the game. “I was just trying to place it where it would stay in the sun the whole time.”
Hanover’s heroic hit to win Sunday’s contest capped off a five-game winning streak. The Tigers defeated Dartmouth, 8-4, on Friday night and 16-3 on Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the week, LSU beat both Grambling and McNeese State.
“It’s a shame Dartmouth lost the game on the last play lost in the sun,” said LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri. “If anybody got out of the stands and walked out there and stood out there, they would have understood what a tough play that was today.”
LSU senior third baseman Tyler Hanover, who had the game-winning hit, is batting .364 with 10 runs this season. His 16 hits are third most on the team.
Players from both teams battled the elements during Sunday’s game. Hanover said he experienced difficulties with the weather earlier in the game.
“I just had to play two balls in the sun the previous two innings, so I knew anything could happen, especially with the wind factor and the high sky and how sunny it was out today,” Hanover said after the game.
Mainieri sent a clear message to his team in the huddle after the excitement of the last-minute win settled down.
“Coach told us not to feel like we cheated this game,” said LSU sophomore pitcher Kurt McCune. “You definitely would rather get the hit than to win on an error, but we made those catches earlier in the game so we feel like we deserve that win.”
The bats did their part to contribute to the win as well.
The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the third inning with an RBI by junior outfielder Raph Rhymes and a sacrifice RBI to the pitcher by Hanover.
LSU is improving from the plate. The Tigers have averaged 13 runs a game in their last five contests, all resulting in wins.
On the mound, McCune put the Tigers in good position with four scoreless innings to start the game, but he was rattled in the top of the fifth inning.
McCune walked Dartmouth sophomore outfielder Jeff Keller to begin the inning. Then, Dartmouth freshman infielder Nick Lombardi hit a single.
Dartmouth freshman outfielder Matt Robinson took advantage of the two men on base, smacking a single up the middle to bring in Keller for the RBI.
After Robinson’s RBI, freshman infielder Thomas Roulis recorded Dartmouth’s second run of the game with a double to score Lombardi.
Even though the Big Green notched two runs, LSU sophomore pitcher Joe Broussard came out of the bullpen to relieve McCune and struck out Dartmouth junior catcher Chris O’Dowd to retire the inning.
“Our bullpen has been a little bit maligned earlier this week, but I thought they’ve been coming around,” Mainieri said.
LSU held a 3-2 lead entering the top of the sixth inning, but Dartmouth tied the game when Lombardi lined an RBI to left field. The Big Green added another run with an RBI single to left field by freshman infielder Thomas Roulis in the top of the seventh inning off LSU freshman reliever Cody Glenn, making the score 4-3 in favor of Dartmouth.
LSU knotted the game at four in the bottom of the seventh inning when Nola hit an RBI single to Dartmouth senior shortstop Joe Sclafani. The teams were held scoreless until Hanover’s walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth inning.
“We went up against some good pitching, but we’re seeing the ball well,” Nola said.
Nola, who had a career-high four hits Sunday, wasn’t the only offensive player finding his groove from the plate during the weekend series.
LSU junior first baseman Mason Katz stole the show Friday and Saturday at Alex Box Stadium as he pursued the NCAA record for consecutive base appearances.
Katz entered the weekend in the middle of a hot stretch, reaching base 12 consecutive times. He extended the streak Friday night, getting on base five more times with a solo home run, a single into centerfield and three walks.
The first baseman took the plate Saturday afternoon one base appearance shy of Shaun Larkin of Cal State Northridge’s 2002 NCAA record of reaching base 18 consecutive times, but Katz struck out in his first inning at-bat against Dartmouth starting pitcher sophomore Mitch Horacek, ending his streak at 17.
“We definitely talked about it amongst each other about how hard of a record that is to break,” McCune said. “We gave him a hard time about striking out before getting the record, but he doesn’t dwell on it. He’s got a good attitude, and I’m sure he’ll go for it again.”
Katz’s potential record and Hanover’s walk-off double provided excitement during the weekend for the home fans at Alex Box Stadium.
Next, LSU will take its five-game winning streak on the road Tuesday against Tulane at 6:30 p.m. in Turchin Stadium.
Mainieri said freshman pitcher Aaron Nola will get the start for the Tigers.
LSU begins another season with same lofty expectations
LSU senior shortstop Austin Nola is no stranger to expectations.
The Baton Rouge native arrived at LSU in 2009 with a stacked resume, earning the title of Gatorade Player of the Year out of Catholic High School as a senior.
He’s lived up to the hype during his first three season by helping the Tigers clinch a national championship as a freshman, hitting .320 in his second season and holding down the shortstop position for all 56 games in 2011.
Still, as he approaches Alex Box Stadium each day, Nola said he is reminded that he has more to prove in his final season at LSU.
“I just walk up to the park and look at the field and say, ‘Man, that’s expectations right there,’” Nola said, shaking his head.
Nola will make his 156th career start Friday night when LSU opens the 2012 campaign against Air Force at 7 p.m.
Once again, the bar is set high for Nola and the rest the Tigers, who are ranked No. 8 entering the season by Baseball America magazine.
Friday’s game will be the first time the team suits up since ending the 2011 season in disappointing fashion. LSU won six of its final seven games to finish with a 36-20 overall record, but a 13-17 mark in conference play left the team out of the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007.
“It was a shock to us,” Nola said. “We remember that, and we know how that feels. We’re not going to do it again.”
Sophomore catcher Ty Ross, who came on strong toward the end of the 2011 season with a 3-for-5 outing May 19 against Mississippi State, said taking the plate for opening night at Alex Box Stadium is a mixture of nerves and excitement
“It’s a thrill you can’t get anywhere else,” Ross said. “I’ve never been skydiving before, but it’s probably right up there.”
Sixth-year LSU baseball coach Paul Mainieri is more familiar than usual with his first foe of the 2012 season. Mainieri, who was the head coach at Air Force from 1989-1994, squares off against Air Force coach Mike Kazlausky. Kazlausky played for Mainieri from 1989-91 and later worked as an assistant coach for Mainieri at Air Force from 1993-1995.
After working under Mainieri, Kazlausky became a C-17 pilot in 2004 and served two and a half years in the War on Terror before returning to Air Force as an assistant baseball coach in 2006.
“He is a legitimate United States hero,” Mainieri said. “I love him dearly, and he is one of the special people in my life.”
As he anticipated facing Air Force, Mainieri noted the difference in expectations from his former schools as compared to LSU. Mainieri coached at St. Thomas, Air Force and Notre Dame before taking the reigns of the LSU program in 2007.
“At Air Force there really weren’t a lot of expectations, but at Notre Dame we had high expectations relatively speaking,” Mainieri said. “Here at LSU the standards are different, though. We expect to get to Omaha.”
Derek Ponamsky, publisher for BayouBengalsInsider.com and one of the hosts of “Sports Today” on ESPN 104.5 in Baton Rouge, said LSU fans have lofty hopes entering each season, and this season is no different.
“There’s not another college baseball program on the planet that expects what they expect here at LSU,” Ponamsky said. “You have unbelievable tradition and unbelievable facilities. The program’s something that’s overwhelmingly supported.”
Baseball fans will be supporting LSU’s returning 21 lettermen from the 2011 season, including 10 position players and eight pitchers with previous starts.
“We’re tired of hearing about being young,” said senior first baseman Grant Dozar. “We have an experienced group of guys that have played in a lot of games.”
Nola and senior third baseman Tyler Hanover lead the team with 327 combined starts. Other returning starters include sophomore centerfielder JaCoby Jones, sophomore catcher Ty Ross, junior outfielder Raph Rhymes and junior outfielder Mason Katz.
Jones clinched a spot on the Freshman All-American team last season after recording 32 RBIs, 36 runs and 13 stolen bases in 2011.
“It’s going to be important for another player to get some hits besides Nola and Hanover,” Ponamsky said. “JaCoby Jones is going to be a guy I would expect to take the next step up.”
LSU’s pitching rotation is spearheaded by sophomores Kevin Gausman, Ryan Eades and Kurt McCune.
“We have a chance to be dominant on the mound,” Mainieri said. “We have a very deep and talented staff.”
New pitching coach Alan Dunn joined the staff in the offseason after former pitching coach David Grewe resigned.
Dunn, who has 22 years of experience as a pitching coach, spent the past four seasons with the Baltimore Orioles as a bullpen coach and minor league pitching coordinator.
“We all have developed a great relationship with him, and he’s been working us hard,” Gausman said. “This is the best shape that all of our pitchers have ever been in.”
Gausman, coming off a strong freshman season with a 3.51 ERA in 14 starts, played on the USA Collegiate National team this past summer. Baseball America named him the No. 4 overall prospect on the USA team.
“We kind of made expectations high with the success we had with [former LSU coach] Skip Bertman,” Gausman said. “We want to keep that going.”
The Tigers have claimed six national championships, 14 SEC titles and 24 NCAA tournament appearances in their storied history.
“I don’t care if you’re playing McNeese State in the middle of the week or Ole Miss on the weekend,” Mainieri said. “Every game the expectation is that we’re going to win.”
First baseman Dozar echoed Mainieri’s feelings regarding the high standards Tiger fans and players alike expect each season.
“It’s Omaha or bust around here,” said. “That’s the burden you take on when you commit to playing at LSU.”
Nola will get another reminder of what’s expected when he takes the field at Alex Box Stadium in front of thousands of fans Friday night, but he said that’s exactly how he likes it.
“If you do look at expectations, you have to look at it positively,” Nola said. “You want to be playing at the best school with the best players. You wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”
INSIDE THE BOX 