LSU broke open a 1-1 tie in the bottom half of the fourth inning, exploding for four runs, and eventually led 10-1 before Northeastern staged a furious rally that came up just short in an 11-8 loss to the Tigers in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. on Friday. The Huskies scored four times in the ninth to pull within three, but the Tigers held on. LSU's J.C. Holt led the Tigers, going 4-5 with five RBI, including two home runs.
Trailing 11-4 heading into the ninth, Northeastern began its upset bid. Matt Morizio, Chris Emanuele and Mike Steinberg each singled to start the inning, loading the bases. Greg Smith came in to relieve Chad Vaught, who worked the eighth inning but could not get an out in the ninth. Brad Czarnowski hit a bases-clearing double to right-center off Smith to cut the NU deficit to 11-7. Czarnowski advanced to third on a passed ball and came home on a fielder's choice by Tim Bush. That is as close as the Huskies would get, though, as Smith struck out Jeff Heriot and pinch-hitter Jeff Maher to end the game.
The Tigers struck first in the bottom half of the first inning. With one out, Holt took the first pitch he saw from NU starter Justin Hedrick over the left-centerfield wall to make it 1-0 LSU.
The Huskies tied the score 1-1 in the top half of the fourth. Tim Bush (2-5, two RBIs) began the inning with a single up the middle. Heriot followed with a walk to put runners on first and second. With one out, Omar Pena lined a shot off the wall in center field for a double that brought home Bush and left runners on second and third. The Huskies couldn't capitalize any further, however, as Tompkins fanned Arman Sidhu and Morizio to end the threat.
After NU tied the score in the top half of the fourth, LSU gave itself some breathing room in the bottom half. Ryan Naccarata and Jon Zeringue both singled up the middle to start the inning, putting runners on first and third. Matt Liuzza then hit into a fielder's choice to score Naccarata. Bruce Sprowl followed with a double to center, setting the table for Holt, who took a Hedrick pitch deep to left-center for his second home run of the afternoon and a 5-1 lead.
LSU extended its advantage in the bottom of the sixth, erupting for seven hits and five runs. Liuzza led off the attack with single down the left field line and moved to third on a Sprowl single to right-center. A blooper just over the head of Bush at third base by Holt scored Liuzza and chased Hedrick from the game. Devin Monds came on to face SEC Player of the Year Aaron Hill, who greeted the sophomore with a sharp double down the left field line that scored Sprowl and Holt. Blake Gill singled to left scoring Hill and then advanced to second on an error by Bush. With one out, Naccarata closed out the home team outburst, plating Gill with a single to left that made it 10-1.
The Huskies scratched across three runs in the top of the seventh, cutting the deficit to 10-4. NU started the rally with two outs as Emanuele (4-4, two runs) hit an opposite field home run. Steinberg then hit a single to left and Czarnowski (2-5, four RBIs) brought him home with a double to the gap in left-center. Bush kept the inning going with a single to left, knocking in Czarnowski and cutting LSU's lead to six.
Clay Harris homered to right-center in the eighth to make the score 11-4 heading into the top of the ninth, before the Huskies staged their late rally.
Hedrick went five innings, allowing eight runs on nine hits to fall to 7-2. Monds went the final three innings, giving up three runs. Tompkins went seven innings for the Tigers, keeping the Huskies in check while picking up the win to improve to 3-5.
The Huskies fall to 27-23 overall and move to the losing side of the bracket, where they will take on UNC-Wilmington, which lost to Tulane 8-3, at 12 noon ET on Saturday in an elimination game.