No. 13 LSU smacks around Rainbows

After the rain storm, the deluge hit.

Louisiana State smacked 17 hits, including 13 in the first five innings, en route to Sunday’s 14-1 rout of Hawaii at Alex Boyd Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.

Every batter in the LSU starting lineup had at least one hit, led by second baseman Chris Reid’s three singles. Catcher Hunter Feduccia drove in four runs and was central in a strikeout, throw-out double play.

“Hey, it’s LSU at LSU on a Sunday,” UH coach Mike Trapasso said. “We didn’t play well. That’s what’s going to happen. We’re a good club. We showed that the first two nights. We don’t shy away from the competition.”

After losing Friday’s opener, the 13th-ranked Tigers outscored the ’Bows, 19-2, the next two days to take the three-game series.

UH right-hander Logan Pouelsen, who pitched a shutout a week earlier, lasted two innings, allowing four runs on six hits and a walk. Neil Uskali, in his first relief appearance after three starts, gave up nine runs — five of them earned — and seven hits in 22⁄3 innings.

“We just didn’t pitch,” Trapasso said. “We didn’t pitch ahead of the count. We didn’t throw any of our off speed. Logan and Neil and (Colin) Ashworth tried to nibble and were pitching to avoid contact rather than what we preach. And that’s what’s going to happen when you do that. You’re going to get hammered because you’re always in a negative count. You’re always 2-0, 3-0, and that’s the way it was all night.”

Pouelsen had three-ball counts to four of the first eight hitters. The Tigers sent eight players to the plate in a four-run third and 11 batters in a seven-run fifth.

“They handed it to us pretty well,” Trapasso said. “But I also feel we kind of laid an egg. It’s disappointing. But all the credit goes to them.”

Ma’Khail Hilliard, a 6-foot, 150-pound freshman, made his first start after going 3-0 as a reliever. Hilliard allowed three hits in 51⁄3 innings, baffling the ’Bows with a 90-mph fastball and a 12-6 (fast-dropping) curveball.

The ’Bows threatened early, placing runners on first and second with no outs. But on a hit-and-run attempt, Adam Fogel missed a third-strike pitch and Feduccia threw out Maaki Yamazaki attempting to swipe third.

“I started the runners because I wanted to avoid the double play,” Trapasso said. “The last thing I thought was Adam would swing through on 3-2. That’s what happens. Sometimes when you’re aggressive, it comes back to bite you. But we’ll stay aggressive.

Hilliard, who has not allowed a run in 16 1/3 innings this season, improved to 4-0.

The Tigers’ bullpen-by-committee had five representatives on Sunday.

“I’m disappointed we didn’t play well,” Trapasso said. “I can take getting beat, but not when you don’t play well.”

Despite the one-sided loss, Trapasso was hopeful exiting the series. “At the end of the weekend, there were way more positives than negatives,” Trapasso said.

The ’Bows depart Baton Rouge this morning. They will have a day off on Tuesday and a light practice on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s start to a four-game series against Illinois State.