LSU capitalizes on fluctuating luck to defeat S. Carolina

Published 8:20 am Monday, May 8, 2017

BATON ROUGE — Getting a hit wasn’t LSU’s problem Sunday.

Shoot, Antoine Duplantis already had four of his own — the Tigers had 16 total —when he strode to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning.

But Duplantis’ fifth hit really, really, meant something, as he sliced an RBI single down the leftfield line to score Zach Watson for a 7-6 victory over South Carolina to claim the key SEC series.

LSU’s first walk-off win of the season gave the Tigers back-to-back wins over the Gamecocks after a frustrating Friday opener.

This one was looking similar for much of the almost four-hour marathon.

“That was the definition of a roller coaster of emotions, all the momentum swings,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said.

“I was telling myself this was about the most unluckiest game I’ve ever coached. I can’t remember a game where we hit so many balls hard with runners in scoring position and two outs and they were right at people or they made great plays.”

But after 13 Tigers left on base, four lead changes, two ties and LSU game-tying comebacks in the eighth and ninth innings, one of the Tigers’ defensive plays of the year in the top of the 10th set up Duplantis’ heroics in the bottom of the inning.

Watson led off with an infield single, was sacrificed to second and took third when Cole Freeman’s speed forced Gamecock shorstop Madison Stoke into a bobbled error on what was going to be a tough play anyway.

“That’s the good thing about having athletes,” said Duplantis, who earlier this year had a six-hit game. “We can put pressure on the defense. We don’t have to rely on the long ball. Even if we’re not hitting the ball great, we can still piece things together.”

Duplantis stroked a 2-1 pitch into left and was mobbed after Watson trotted home.

“That was an exhausting game,” Duplantis said. “That’s what the SEC is all about — momentum swings, lead changes, using basically our whole bullpen, what we had left, and guys stepping up one after another. Its a huge win.”

The final run would have only tied the game — at best — if shortstop Kramer Robertson hadn’t taken a relay from Duplantis in the top of the inning on a double into the corner and fired a strike to catcher Michael Papierski to nail Jacob Olson at the plate.

“That’s what guys that have the ‘it’ factor will do for you,” Mainieri said of Robertson’s throw. “They make plays like that for you. Papierski made a great tag too.”

“Antoine made a perfect throw to where I was able to catch it in my crow hop and have momentum throwing to the plate,” Robertson said. “I had no idea if we had a chance to get him. Threw it hard as I could … most underrated part of that play is Michael Papierski making the pick and tag.”

LSU, which squandered an early 3-1 lead and trailed 5-4 heading into the eighth, tied it in that inning on a controversial play that got a USC assistant coach thrown out of the game for arguing.

But Watson was ruled safe at first due first baseman Ross Grosvenor’s foot coming off the bag, allowing Josh Smith to score from third.

The Gamecocks retook the lead 6-5 in the top of the ninth, and LSU closer Hunter Newman was fortunate to get out of a rough outing only one run after hitting a batter and walking two.

It forced LSU to score in the bottom of the ninth against USC bullpen ace Tyler Johnson.

“Trying to hit that guy is like trying to hit a Major League pitcher,” Mainieri said. “He’ll be there in a very short time — most explosive fast ball I’ve seen in a long time.

“But we had a tremendous rally.”

Greg Deichman singled home Freeman to tie the score and the Tigers eventually loaded the bases with one out before the rally fizzled and forced extra innings.

“I was thinking this is just one of those days where the breaks are just going against us,” Mainieri said. “But we did what we had to do to win.”