BRADFORD PITCHES LSU TO 8-4 WIN OVER STETSON; TIGERS COLLECT 13 HITS IN VICTORY

DELAND, Fla. – LSU right-hander Jared Bradford limited Stetson to just two runs on five hits in six innings Sunday as the Tigers defeated the Hatters, 8-4, at Melching Field. LSU salvaged the third game of the weekend series and improved its record to 4-2. Stetson saw its four-game winning streak snapped as the Hatters fell to 5-2. Stetson won the first two games of the series against the Tigers by scores of 8-1 and 14-1. “I’m very proud of the way our guys responded today after the whippings we took in the first two games,” LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. “I really liked our approach at the plate, especially early in the game. We competed, put the ball in play and good things happened. I also thought that Jared Bradford was outstanding on the mound – he kept the ball down and let our defense make plays behind him.” Bradford (1-0), making his first career start, blanked Stetson through the first five innings before allowing a pair of runs in the sixth. The product of Shelton State (Ala.) Community College finished with one walk and five strikeouts. Meanwhile, the LSU bats came alive Sunday as the Tigers pounded out a season-high 13 hits, including nine in the first four innings. The Tigers scored seven runs in the first four innings and held off the Hatters, who scored four runs over the final four innings. Trailing 8-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Stetson’s Braedyn Pruitt followed hits from Shane Jordan and Casey Frawley with an RBI single. A one-out walk to Justin Bass brought the tying run to the plate before LSU reliever Nolan Cain notched the final two outs for his first save. First baseman Sean Ochinko’s sacrifice fly in the first inning put the Tigers ahead early. In a three-run second inning, right fielder Steven Waguespack scored on a wild pitch, centerfielder Jared Mitchell singled in a run, and third baseman J.T. Wise walked with the bases loaded. That chased Stetson starter Chris Ingoglia (1-1) after only 1.2 innings. Ingoglia was charged with four runs on five hits, and he recorded five walks and one strikeout. Ochinko drove in his second run of the day with a single in the fourth. One out later Wise doubled to left field to drive in one run and another scored when the ball was misplayed for an error. In the fifth, Ochinko added another RBI with a ground out. Ochinko finished with three RBI. Mitchell and left fielder Blake Dean each tallied three hits. Stetson broke up the shutout in the sixth against Bradford. Shane Jordan led off with a double and later scored on Brian Pruitt’s ground ball to third. Justin Bass followed with a base hit to right, bringing the Hatters within 8-2. Jordan reached on a walk in the seventh and scored for the second time when Braedyn Pruitt delivered a double to left-center. LSU returns home this week to face Northwestern State at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in Alex Box Stadium. LSU 8, Stetson 4 (Feb 18, 2007 at DeLand, Fla.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LSU................. 130 310 000 - 8 13 1 (4-2) Stetson............. 000 002 101 - 4 10 2 (5-2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: LSU - Jared Bradford; Ryan Byrd(7); Nolan Cain(9). Stetson - INGOGLIA, Chris; PUGLIESE, Nick(2); DONOVAN, Robby(4); ELSEMILLER, Robbie(8). Win-Jared Bradford(1-0) Save-Nolan Cain(1) Loss-INGOGLIA, Chris(1-1) T-3:30 A-2103 Byrd faced 3 batters in the 9th.