LSU found itself in a position Sunday night that it hasn’t been in much this weekend, trailing in a game. Other than an early 1-0 deficit to Stony Brook on Friday, a game LSU went on to win 17-3, the Tigers had not trailed this postseason.
After starting pitcher Eric Walker pitched four innings of one run baseball, and the Tigers clinging to a 3-1 lead, the game unraveled for the junior pitcher, who walked two batters, allowed two runs and was forced to throw 32 fifth inning pitches before his night ended.
For the first time all weekend, LSU was in the danger zone, and needed stout outings from the bullpen to keep the game close.
First there was Matthew Beck, who hadn’t pitched all weekend, thrust into a situation where he needed only one out to keep the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at bay in a 3-3 game. Instead Beck allowed a single to roll it’s way between second and first base to put Southern Miss up 4-3.
Beck would follow that by engaging in an eight pitch battle with three hole hitter Hunter Slater that ultimately led to a walk that loaded the bases for Golden Eagle slugger Matt Wallner. Wallner entered Sunday with 23 homeruns on the season and a team high 60 RBI.
Another duel would ensue, this time between Beck and Wallner, only this time Beck was able to get the last laugh. After a nine pitch at bat, the junior was able to strike out Wallner to leave the bases loaded and keep the game within striking distance at 4-3.
Coach Paul Mainieri said the plan was to attack Wallner with fastballs because of his success at making big hits against breaking balls. Mainieri advised pitching coach Alan Dunn to consider fastball, but Dunn ultimately decided to mix in a breaking ball, due to Beck’s lower velocity and effective curveball.
“We got that out and it kept us in the game basically,” Mainieri said. “I told AD [Alan Dunn] we can’t be afraid of him and we have to go right at him and challenge him. He made a very courageous call on that 3-2 breaking ball and it got us the out.”
It was a 51 pitch half-inning between Walker and Beck that left the entire stadium exhausted as rivaling chants of U-S-M and L-S-U filled the Box as Beck walked off the mound.
Then there was Trent Vietmeier, the pitcher who two weeks ago Mainieri thought would need season ending shoulder surgery, who made a “miraculous” recovery to go on to throw two innings of shutout baseball while the offense tried to find its footing.
The sophomore allowed two hits with two strikeouts in two innings of work before Mainieri went with Devin Fontenot for the final six outs. For Vietmeier, those two magical innings were a blur, saying he spent the whole time in continuous blackout and completely oblivious to his surroundings.
“I guess the experience out there was breathtaking,” Vietmeier said of the Alex Box atmosphere. “I don’t really remember too much because I went in blackout but it was just awesome.”
“I just thought Trent was a real key to the game,” Mainieri said. “He did a phenomenal job for us.”
It had been a trying month of May for Fontenot, who allowed eight runs in his previous five outings out of the bullpen.
But it’s no longer May and after issuing a four pitch walk to his first batter, Fontenot forced two soft groundouts with a strikeout wedged in the middle, hitting 95 mph for the final strike.
Fontenot would trot out for the ninth inning and do what had been missing from his game for much of the last six weeks, pitching with confidence. With two away, and one man on base, Fontenot’s final challenge was an eight pitch at bat with Southern Miss’ Matthew Guidry, an at bat that would end with one final strikeout.
“Those outs at the end of the game are tough to get but he got it done,” Mainieri said.
“That’s Devin, he’ll always find a way to get it done,” Vietmeier said. “It’s as simple as that, he’s a great pitcher. Yeah he loses sometimes but he always finds a way to get it back.”
