LSU tops Georgia twice, advances to SEC title game

HOOVER, ALABAMA -- Micah Gibbs broke a tie with a two-run single in the fifth inning and Paul Bertuccini got the final four outs to help LSU beat Georgia for the second time Saturday night, 3-2, and advance to the Southeastern Conference tournament championship game.

The top-seeded and defending champion Tigers (45-16) have won four straight games to set up a meeting with No. 8 seed Vanderbilt for the title Sunday. The title game was moved up three hours to noon CDT because of forecast bad weather.

The second game was shortened to seven innings because of the late start.
LSU had stayed alive earlier with a 16-0 rout, scoring seven runs in the first inning and not letting up even after a 4-hour, 28-minute rain delay.

``I thought our team played with a lot of confidence offensively, defensively,'' said Tigers coach Paul Mainieri. ``And how about that pitching?''

The hitting wasn't bad either, even in the low-scoring second game. LSU scored twice in the fifth to break a 1-1 deadlock. Reliever Michael Palazzone walked two straight batters to load the bases with one out, setting up Gibbs' big hit just beneath the glove of shortstop Levi Hyams.

Justin Earls came in and walked Jared Mitchell to load the bases again, but got DJ LeMahieu to ground out to third base to end the inning.

``I thought we hit the ball as hard as we have all year in that game,'' Mainieri said. ``We smashed a lot of balls.''

Georgia came right back in the sixth, chasing starter Nolan Cain with Zach Cone's leadoff double, a walk and an RBI single by Bryce Massanari to make it 3-2. Relievers Chad Jones and Bertuccini both got groundouts to strand runners on the corners and preserve the lead.

Colby May drove an 0-2 pitch up the middle off Bertuccini for a single to open the seventh inning, but Levi Hyams then grounded into a double play and pinch-hitter Robbie O'Bryan hit a pop fly to first base.

LSU threatened to add to the lead in the sixth but centerfielder Matt Cerione gunned down Tyler Hanover at the plate.

Cain had allowed just one hit in the first five innings before running into trouble. He had started only one game and pitched 23 innings coming into the game.

``This is exciting,'' he said. ``It's something you dream about. You accept your role and hope your name (is called) in a big spot.''

In the first game, Austin Nola had a double, triple and single and Mitchell drove in three runs for the top-seeded Tigers, who won by the mercy rule after seven innings. Ryan Schimpf added a two-run homer in a six-run fifth inning.

Georgia coach David Perno wasn't pleased with the way the first game was handled, starting the game in a light drizzle only to halt it minutes later. He credited LSU not the rain with how the games turned out.

``I was disappointed,'' Perno said. ``I don't think it was handled right but by the same token it's not why we lost.''

Daniel Bradshaw (4-0) pitched a complete-game three-hitter for the Tigers after finding a way to cope with the unexpected idle time.

``I watched TV, ate some food with my parents and really tried to stay by myself and stay in the zone,'' said Bradshaw, who struck out three and allowed only one walk. ``That was a crazy scenario. Actually, I felt better in the bullpen the second time around.''